

THE 

RIVALS 

OF 

MADONNA, 

THE 

QUEEN OF THE WORLD 

A DRAMA, 

[in four acts] 
By a. STEWART WALSH. 



Copyright, 1903 bv Alex. Stewart Walsh. 



Published by S. F. McLean & Co., 

New York. 

1903. 



THE 
« 

RIVALS 

OF 

MADONNA, 

THE 

QUEEN OF THE WORLD. 

A DRAMA, 



4 



[in four acts] 
By a. STEWART WALSH. 



Copyright, 1903 by Albx. Stewart Walsh. 



Published by S. F. McLean & Co., 

New York. 

1903. 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

' T>vo Copies Received 

JAN 9 1903 

i^^'ignt Entry 
LASS /<• XXfc. No. 

^ oopV b. 












PERSONS OF THE DRAMA. 



1. Sir St. George D'Heartmyths, Crusader-Knight.. 

2. Sir Henri De Betterman, Crusader-Knight. 

3. RoKHAMA, Moslem Pasha. 

4. DooBERDAB, Confidant of Rokhama. 

5. Captio, Serving Brother of the Knights. 

6. Beatulus, Serving Brother of the Knights. 

7. Shumentu, a Pagan Priest and a Renegade. 

8. Peter the Rouser, a Fanatic. 

9. Maimokides, a Leader of the " Golden Empire League," 

10. Chaplain Foren, of the Knights. 

11. Sir LeRoy D'Heartmyths, Brother of Sir St. George. 



■1 



Kafadar, \ 

12. \ y Turkish Harem Agents. 

Charmagly, ) 



13. Astarte, Egyptian Princess, Necromancer and "Queen of 

the Pleasure Empire." 

14. Aureola, Daughter of Maimonides and "Queen of the 

Golden Empire." 

15. Edena, Daughter of Dooberdab. 

16. Judith, Maid of Aureola. 
Eimelia, 



-'■] 



V Harem Prizes. 
Edilulu, ) 



28 Ardenta, a Georgian Syren. 

Children, Knights, Mamelukes, Harem Beauties, etc. 



TMP92-007560 



THE RIVALS OF 

MADONNA, 



THE 



Queen of the World. 



Time about 1230 A. D. 

ACT I. 

Scene i. — Overlooking Acre, a coast city, Palestine. 
(Christians, Crusaders, etc., passing in a route toward city. In 
the distance. Captio and Beatulus, Serving Brothers, running 
in.) 

Beatulus. Oh, we dodged the Moslem, but we had a run 
for it, my Captio, ha, ha ! 

Captio. Heroes tor once ! We made more than two score ol 
them fly. Aye, and they would be running yet had they not 
massed our tracks. [Puffing] Oh, I am empty now of both wind 
and provinder, 

Beatulus. Ah, my Captio, thou shalt not be empty while we 
have ass-meat. Ha, ha ! Wilt thou have some ? {Offers meat) 

Captio. (Siezing meat) And thou darst offer such unholy 
provinder without crossing thyself. {Eats voraciously) To think 
that I, a Christian epicure, should come down to thistle-fed don- 
key ! ' Oh. turning cannibal. One ass eating another. 

Beatulus. It might be worse. What if the other ass were 
eating thee? Ha, ha! But why dost thou everlastingly carp? 

Captio. I carp to keep up my courage. Dost thou not know 
that few grumblers commit suicide ? 

Beai ulus. Oh, it were better thou teach thy diaphragm to 
pump up laughter as a courage breeder. That is the way I do. 

Ha. ha. . 1 1. .1 t 

Captio. I have heard of the laughing jackass, but until 1 

knew thee, I believed the creature a myth. Breed laughter? 

Pump up courage ? Waagh ! Come and look at our crumpled 



— 4— 

up rear guard in its crawl-trot, trying to get into yonder ci'y. 
{Drew Beatulus to a hedge beyond which the refugees are passing) 
Why did we ever leave dear England to come heroing in this 
Kill-All-Land as Serving Brothers (if the Knights? As pat of 
such an army of Briton^, Franks, Duichmen, Dagoes, a' d 
Nobo lies from nowhtres? Do anv of these half-starved and 
altogether -ragged rabies know why they came hitlier ? 

Beatulus. Monk Peter, the Rouser, says that we came here 
to the Holy Land to crown at Bethlehem a new Eve and so to 
end all the troubles brought on us poor humans by the old Eve 
and her snake. Then comes the golden age. Ha, ha ! 

Captio. Golden fiddlesticks ! Peter promises like some of 
our modern politicians. In his Pinchbeck age there will be 
plenty to eat and nothing to pay? (Bkatulus nods and laughs) 
No clothes needed, none to wear out, and everybody in fashion 
all the time? (Beatulus nods) No flirting and no divorces. 
Every man marry his own rib when lonely and be his own 
moiher-inlaw ! {'^'EATuiajs laughs hilariously) Lawyers never 
to take the wrong side of any ca-e? Preacliers all to agree as to 
the right way to save a soul? Public servants coming to believe 
that it is as short a way to Hades to steal wholesale as by high- 
way robbery? Waagh ! There will be no Golden Age until men 
are generally made over. 

Beatulus. But Peter says all will come right when the world 
is rid of tyrannical man-rule and given over to the care of the 
women, since all human troubles begin as soon as the kids get 
away from their cribs. 

Captio. So? Peter seeks to have us he's all go back to the 
blessed days when feeding followed spanking ? Women's rule 
and women's rights ! Do they not ever rule? Does not the hand 
that kneads the dough {imitates kneading) mould all creation? 
Ask the love-lorn youths, or the ever ir creasing crops of bald- 
heads whose bare pates prove their full subjection. Waigh. 

Beatulus. Oh, ho. Hither comes our iiood chaplain, Foren, 
with young De Roy D'Heartmyihs the brother of our noble com- 
mander. Sir St. George. Ah, this Le Roy is the bravest of all 
the thirty thousand child crusaders who enlisted to aid the 
knights conquer Syria. Ha, ha. 

Captio. That is easy to say now, for none of the others will 
contradict thee. All of them not in Barbary slavery are at the 
bottom of the Adriatic Sea. Waagh ! 

(Le Roy entering supported by Chaplain Foren) Let me go 
back to my brother on the fighting line, good Chaplain. 

Chaplain Foren. But thy brother commands that thou get 
into Acre to the Nuns of St. Magdaline that they may cure thy 
wound. Rest here a little, then we go on to the city. 

Captio. Poor kid, he needs his mother. Waagh ! Hither 
moves thy Rouser, my Beatulus. That Peter which made half 
Europe mad to come upon this fateful crusade. His donkey is 



—5— 

well loaded with provinder. My tunic against thine, Chaplain, 
that whatever happens the Monk, he will keep near his donkey. 

Petkr the Rcuser {Enters leading donkey) Turn back, turn 
back all. Panic the infidels. One shall chase a thousand; two 
put ten thousand to flight. {E it) 

Captio. Wilt thou charije them with thy long-eared ass, 
Peter? Gone so soon? And towards the place of safety? 
Waagh. 

Peter the Rouser. (Re-entering) I go to call down from 
heaven winged chariots in which the faithful may ride in triumph 
to the coronation of the true Madonna at Bethlehem. {Exit 
toward Arre) 

Beatulus. Oh, but we will startle the Moslem when we go 
flying over their heads in gold-n chariots. 

Le Roy. And Peter says I am to go back to France to raise 
another army of youths to help the knights chase the Moslem ofiE 
the earth ? 

Captio. Glory to St. Vitus and his dance. Every one about 
seems now to be raving. It is the fashion here. This is a 
cracked and crooked world. Only the cracked can understand it. 
Only the crooks bend to its ways. The straight sane people soon 
fall off of it into heaven — or the poor house. Waagh. 

Chaplain Foren. It is well we all be moving. I hear horse- 
men ill a large body moving this way. Moslem, most likely. 

Captio. No golden chariots for us yet? One shall chase a 
thousand, some other day ! A thousand chase one to-day. 
Waagh, {Exeunt) 

Dooberdab. {Entering with Pasha RokhAmA and Guard) 
We cannot longer continue the pursuit of the Christians, as the 
nfght comes on. 

Rokhama. {Pointing to risifig moon) An omen. The cres- 
cent is blood red, but it rises. Victory, but a costly one for us, 
my Dooberdab, is predicted. {Observing the path) Some of the 
invaders passed here but recenly. 

Dooberdab. Yet we shall have them all soon. Two hundred 
thousand fighting men out of every Mohammedan quarter move 
against yonder doomed city, great Pasha. 

Rokhama. Allah be praised ! My faithful, now withdraw 
my guard to a distance. That Egyptian, Shumentu, comes 
hither, desiring to meet me, alone. 

Dooberdab. Great Rokhama, thy pardon, but I must warn 
thee. That hooded priest is a cobra. Beware ! 

Rokhama. Loyal Dooberdab, fear naught for me on his 
score. I know how to charm, or kill any viper which either 
crawls or flies. {Exit Dooberdab — enter Shumentu.) 

Shumen'i u. I haste to ha-l the rising sun of Moslemism, the 
glorious Rokhama. How doth Allah bless thee this hour? 

Rokhama. Allah grants me to make the end of centuries of 
fighting between the followers of the cross and those of the cres- 



— 6— 

cent. I have the Crusaders trapped in their last refuge yonder. 

Shumentu. But thou leavest a dangerous enemy behind thee. 
At Bethlehem are the New Edenites, devoted to the glorification 
of Mary the mother of Christ. They claim that mysterious 
woman as the eternal example of what God thinks of her sex; they 
prate of the one wife home, deny to man the rights of his super- 
iority to have as many of the inferior sex as he wills to minister 
to him, and even go so far as to teach the dangerous heresy that 
women have souls. All these things utterly oppose the crescent's 
supremacy. 

ROKHAMA. Oh, if the preachers were all compelled to fight 
for the things concerning which they rant there would be far 
more fighting or much less preaching. Quacking about woman's 
rights has excited many in this life but revelutionized nothing. 
Let the New Edenites quack There are no fighters there. They 
have with them for the mfst par' onlv women and children. 

Shumentu. Only women and children ? Next to a fighter as 
the most dangerous enemy is the breeder or inspirer of a fighter. 
Hast thou not seen how the knights of this last crusade have 
gone desperately to the death inspired by devotion to their 
Madonna ? Remember also that women make up half the world, 
and they rule the children. He that hath the women and chil- 
dren on his side will have the world at his will, sooner or later. 

RoKHAMA. This debate is useless. I can do nothing as to 
New Eden. Our Sultan moved by the influence of that Baroness 
D'Heartmvths, of France, ha'h commanded that the Moslem 
leave the New Edem'tes undisturbed. 

Shumentu. And they intend, as I have learned, to have a 
great coronation ceremony presently at which it is proposed to 
proclaim Mary of Bethlehem queen of women. At that corona- 
tion it is predicted that a miracle from heaven will appear to con- 
firm the claim. Our faith cannot stand the appearing of such a 
miracle here in Syria. 

RoKHAMA. Then let us hasten the proclamation of thy cun- 
ning invention, the Moslem Madonna. That Hone, I swear to 
Allah, from point to hilt of this (upliftiti^ scinietar) to go about 
making New Eden desolate as soon as I have captured Acre. I 
will explain to the SuUan afterward. 

Shumentu. Bravely spoken. Thy plan is worthy of a true 
son of the faith. Now go I into yonder Acre to plot for thy 
gain. 

RoKHAMA. But I need thy counsel here, until Acre is taken, 
Shumentu. 

Shementu. Thou work without and I within, and they 
opposing us will need pity. Let me tell thee something. A 
secret league with world-wide branches has one of its councils in 
yonder city. Among other things that league proposes to set up 
a counterfeit of the Madonna of the Christians. By cunning 
devices I have promoted myself to power in that combination. I 



—7— 

must meet with its leaders at once, 

RoKHAMA. To promote the candidate of the League ? To 
abandon our Mo lem candidate ? 

Shementu. It is cheaper to leap to the head of an excitement 
already made than to manufacture a new craze. That is the 
science of politics. Leave thy Shementu to work in his way and 
look for a good report from him, after Acre has fallen. {Exeunt) 



Scene II. — In Room of Tower of Out-Wall of Acre. 

(Captio and BeATULUS arranging place as Knights' Head- 
quarters^ 

Beatulus. This will make a prime headquarters for our com- 
mander. {Goes up stairway to a casement) Our knights will 
have a fine lookout in^o the city here. 

Captio. {Pointing to gate through outer wall) And a fine 
run out that way which they will need soon, or the Lord hath 
not spoken bv me. Waagh. {Exeunt) 

Sir Sr. George. {Enteting with Sir Henri and Le Roy) 
This will be the last move of our headqmrters. When driven 
from here we will be beyond the need of any other. 

Sir Hevri. Thy companion knights take much courage from 
thy app )intment by King Henry, of Jerusalem, to be sole com- 
mander of the Christian forces. 

Sir St. George. Small thanks to that self-appointed kin^ 
who now hath his throne wherever his shifty heels happen to 
stand. He should be here to share and shape the issue of this 
dred hour, but he is not. Likely he is courting safety at Cyprus 
Island. I would trample his commission under my foot but that 
I feel it my du*y to try to help my companions out of their 
present plight. 

Beatulus. {Entering^ A company of odd fish seek audience 
with th e. Ha, ha. Some of them look like brigands, some are 
dressed up very daringly with showy second-hand king-clothes, 
and — 

Sir St. George. Brief thy tale. Who art they? 

Beatulus. They told me not, except to say they are a dele- 
gation of Acr^" citizens. But I overheard one called most "honor- 
able Maim 'nide-," and another "respected Shapiro." They all 
kept up such gabbles, I had no let to receive any introduction. 
Ha, ha. 

Sir St. George. Shapiro? Oh, ho! My spies have placed 
him. He is none other than one Shementu, a Pagan priest of 
Egypt. What devilment is he np to, posing here as a citizen o f 
Acre ? Sir Henri, escort this party hither. {Delegation enters) 

Shapiro. Respected commander, we come as worthy re 



— 8- 



derfs of this unhappy city, concerning matters of which our 
honored Nlaimonides, here, shall speak to thee. 

Maimonides. Will the commander of tlie knights be pleased 
to hear us? 

Sir St. George. Proceed to unfold thy matter. 

Matmonides. We are in perilous times, commander. The 
Moslem bombardinsr with basalt fire from without, have destroyed 
many dwellings within our Eastern walls. Outlaws are engayjed 
in stealing for sale to the slave markets the women and children 
thus made homeless. 

Sir St. George. What demons war breeds. 

Maimonides. The nunnery of St. Magdaline has been raided 
by Acre rufifians. More than a score of its inmates have been 
smu^aled through our lines for sale to Mohammedan harems. 

Sir St. George. Those holy women who ministered like 
angels for months past, to all suffering in this unhappy city. 
Great God, why sleep thy revenges ! 

Maimonides. Famine is everywhere in Acre and dred plague 
is ravaging many pans of the city. Riotous mobs go about rob- 
bing whom they will. Beautiful Acre is become a hell upon 
earth. {IVeeps.) 

vSiR St. George. Respected Maimonides, I heard of all 
these things before thy coming. Would to God I had the power 
to bring such acts to an end. 

Maimonides. Thou hast not such power, knight, and there- 
fore we come to propose a remedy. Acre had peace and happi- 
ness before thy followers made it the place of their last stand. 
Let them now go forth and our city will renew its former quiet. 

Sir St. George. The Moslem will object to the knights 
leaving the city now in any way except as prisoners. We are not 
ready lo throw ourselves upon their mercy. We too well foresee 
what that would mean. 

Maimonides. Then we would request that thy following sur- 
render the rule of Acre to the League of the Golden Empire. A 
most potent and re>pectable body. It is ready to assume the 
government here, and to guarantee pacification. 

Sir St. George. But, Maimonides, thy League is committed 
to setting up some modern woman as a world queen, under the 
claim that she is the true madonna. This pretender is to try to 
supplant the one to whom for so many centuries millions have 
given their heart devotion. Would our acknowledgement of the 
rule of the Golden League here imply any submission to such a 
new would-be queen ? 

Maimonides. Most likely. 

Sir St. George. Then this parley might as well end. Our 
knights would die gladly, if need be, but will never consent to 
any disloyalty to Mary of Bethlehem. 

Shumento. But, commander, it is not disloyalty to submit to 
the inevitable. The Golden Leagus is a mighty combine with 



—9— 

branches in many nations. No thing can resist its masterful 
diplomacy. It has but recently taken root here, and already the 
masses are ripe to rise and hail it as the saviour of all in desolate 
Acre. 

Sir St. George. (Turning- Ah i>ack upon Shumkntv) Re- 
spected Maiinoaides, be pleased to see me to-m >rrow, alone. 
Then we miy together devise some measures of relief for Acre. 

Shuvienfu. But our great leader, Maimonides, hath com- 
mands (rom the highest councils of this Leigue, who now issue 
their orders from Europe to take possession of authority here at 
once. Surely we must all pray that he be able to do so wi.hout 
bloodshe i. 

Sir St. George. I have nought to say to thee, thou mas- 
qu'^rader, beyond this ; my sword is as cunning and as keen of 
edge as it was at Nazareth. Bv heavens, I will prove that to thee 
just now, if thou dost not betake thyself whence th'^u earnest, 
Shapiro, or whoever thou art. (To Maimonides) The stand- 
dards of the knights will not be lowered before those of the pre- 
tenders of the League while one of my companions can fif(ht. 

ShUiMENto. Thy heroism wins our admiration, Sir St. George. 
The Golden League would make princely concessions to win thy 
services. 

Sir St. George. I am now nigh to serving it well without 
reward, by killing thee, thou marplot. 

Maimonides. Commander, it were well that thou reconsider 
our proposals. 

Sir .St. George. The message of thy delegation is surrender, 
or insurrection. We will not surrender while we have a sword 
left. 

Maimonides. Then we may as well depart. (Delegation 
rehiring) We give thee until sunset to reconsider. Here is an 
emblem which thou mayst place on thy tower if thou wouldst 
call for me. (Delivers a small vellow streamer) 

Sir St. George. That yellow rag? Symbol of the rule of 
gold and heresy. The knights will hate it more than they d > the 
crescent. (Tears it in two and flings the parts at Maimonides 
and Shumentu) 

Shumentu. That means an uprising in Acre at once. (Exit) 

Maimonidks. We give thee until sunset to reconsider. 
(Exeunt dele-cation) 

Sir St. George. And the knights will take until eternity. 

Sir Henri. Thou didst give that Shapiro a dose of bitter 
herbs. 

Sir St. George. He understood me. He is not a Jew, and 
his name is not Shapiro. He is one Shumentu. I crossed 
swords to his harm with him at the battle of Nazareth where he 
was fighting with the Moslem. He is a Pagan in religion, a 
Mohammedian when it pays him to be such, and just now with 
the Golden Leaguers for some deep reason of personal gain. It is 



10- 



a pity that Maimonides haih fallen under the influence of sucls 
as he. 

Peter the Rouser. {Entering) I am moved by the spirit 
to que-lion thee, Commander. Dost thou know, Sir St. George, 
that the Golden Leaguers propose to seize and put into a great 
comb re all the conrjmerce of the world? To buy law-makers, 
judges, and such, so to come to universal dominion ? 

Sir St. George. I have so heard. 

Peter. Dost know that in that new government that there 
will be no aristocracy but ihflt of money, and under it the poor 
will becr-me the slaves «)f plutocrats. 

Sir St. George. I have heard certain ranters so declare 

Petf.r. Thou thyself hath said that the Golden League pro- 
po-es to set up a pretender who they wruld have filch the honors 
of that hdly woman lo whom twelve Christian centuries have 
given the supreme place as the triumphant Eve. Dost thou know 
that Aureola, the daughter of Maimonides is the queen elect of 
the conspirators ? 

Sir St. George. Yes. what of it ? 

Peter. Much ! Thou hast been a frequent visitor at the 
palace of Mmmonides of late. It is reported that thou dost love, 
more than alitle, that Jewe s. 

Sir St. George. The report is true, although the fact is not 
the business of any who give themselves to gossip concerning it. 

Petfr. I am divinely in piied to denounce thee for all this 
that thou doth confess. 

Sir St. Gforge. Since coming to Syiia thou ha^t denounced 
more than thou hast encouraged the defenders of the cross, 
Peter. 

Peter. T am divinely inspired to command thee to arrest both 
Maimonides and his daughter. 

Sir St. George. Arrest ? Art thou mad, Peter ? Why 
arrest ? 

Peter. Why ? To nip the rising revolution in the bud. To 
strike t-^rror into the hearts of all opposing thee. Arrest the 
Jezibel and her father at once. 

Sir St. George. I doubt thy inspiration; but after the arrest 
—what? 

Peter. Send both to Rome to be dealt with there, or that 
b injf impossible, execute them here as traitors. Swear that 
thou wilt, upon this. {Extends medalli-'n of the Virgin Mary) 

Sir St. George. Now listen, all here as well as this priest. 
One ye^r a^o I lay desperately wounded upon the battlefield of 
Nazareth. At night an angel in human flesh accompanied by a 
serving woman, went about over that field, moved only by sweet 
mercy to help the suffering, without regard to their creed or race. 
Thev found rre, carr ed me to a place of safety, treated me as a 
brother, nursed me back to life and hope. That Angel in the 
flesh was none other than Aureola, the daughter of Maimoni. 



— II- 



des. Since com'ng here, I have gone to the Jew and his 
daughter to say that the swords of my knights would defend 
them in the name of public safety if any peril came nigh either. 
To say that much was knightly; to have proposed less would have 
been dastardly. My promise to them shall be kept. 

Peter. I absolve thee from thy rash promise. Swear that 
thou wilt arrest and strrnly deal with the pretender and con- 
spirator. {Extends medallion) 

Sir St. George. I so swear? And upon the medallion of 
the Mother of Mercies? Out of my presence, Monk, until this 
monstt-r mood hath left thee. _ 

Peter. {Retiring) 1 go, but I will denounce thee to Chris- 
tian Europe and to thy followers as an ally of the Golden Em- 
pire L-ague of Mammonites. Oh, it is so pitiful ! Our corri- 
mander dawdling about a Jezibel pretender to the betrayal of his 
greu CTUse. 

Sir St. George. One warning, Peter. The hour I hear of 
thee inciting any insubordination or stirring up any anarchy in 
this city, I will have thee hanged. It is a good thing in such 
times as these to hang a fanatic now and again. {Exit Peter, 
•with grwnb lings) 

Sir Henri. So, by the the twin pillars of Hercules, there 
are to be two rivals of our blessed Mary. The Moslem have a 
candidate for her place as well as the Golden Leaguers. Yet 
mehinks the followers of these two new aspirants will soon beat 
each other to pieces. 

Sir St. George. But that will not come about in time to 
prevent the impending insurrection of the Leaguers in Acre. 
Would to God we might hear soon of some success by my mother 
in winning from the Sultan permission for the Christians here to 
return in peace to Europe. 

Sir Henri Thy glorious mother! Whatever her success, 
Christendom will ever praise her holy devotion in braving possible 
Egyptian slavery to carry her plea to the throne. 

Sir St. Georqe. There seems nothing left for us but to try 
to escaoe from Acre to some mountain fastnes*:, there to wait for 
favorable report from my mother — or for swift doom. All retire 
except Sir Henry. {Signals to others. They retire) 

Sir Henri. Alas, no other way. The sooner we retreat the 
better. 

Sir St. George. Oh, my God, why am I in this great 
straight between love and duty. Aureola, wolves are all about 
thee, and I cannot help thee ! I cannot help thee ! 

Sir Henri. Commander, nay companion, dost so love the 
maid who saved thy life? 

Sir St. Gforgs. Yes ; and with a devotion worthy of a 
knight of St. Mary, sworn to be faithless to none on earth. Nor 
wouldst thou wonder at my love, Sir Henri, couldst thou but 
know that masterpiece of nature. My Aureola is tenderness and 



power incarnate. She hath ready tears for the suffering and hef 
laughter is a music always nigh, no matter how gloomy the hour. 
She sits a horse like a desert Arab, is master of the rapier, daring 
to recklessness by time>, but never at heart other than nobly 
womanl ke. Small wonder if she wins multitudes to clamor for 
her crowning, for she is every i^ch a queen 

Sir Henri. Enough, unless thou wouldst madden me to be 
thy rival. Clearly the maiden is gloriously dangerous to thee. 

Sir St. George. And now dread perils threaten her and I 
no power to save her. Her deluded father is maHe the tool of 
conspirators who fill him with hope that his daughter is to be 
proclaimed the long looked for Madonna and his race to be 
brought again to world dominion through his family. That Sha- 
piro-Shumentu and others of the Golden Leaguers are in a con- 
spiracy to abduct Maimonides and his daucrhter the very day of 
the latter's coronation. In this certain M)slem without are to 
aid the conspirators. They hope by the wrack or otherwise to 
come to the vast wealth of the Golden League Empire in this 
abduction. 

Sir Henri. But canst thou not show these perils to Maimon- 
ides and his daughter? 

Sir. St. Gkorge. Maimonides would give me no ear. He 
is mad with his dream of power, and besides he would su«pect 
any such warning from me as merely a cunning bid for the favor 
of his dausrhter. He suspects and abhors my love for her. Oh, 
if I could but see her now to tell her all. I cannot. The Lea- 
guers these days keep her under constant watch. Was ever man 
so hedged about ? How can I be loyal to my knightly duty as 
Commander here, and yet true to a love as dear to me as life? 

Sir Henri. Now by all the loves of Adam, Jacob, Solomon 
and Joseph of Judea, I am an unworthy companion knight, if I 
make not a tryst for thee and thy lover ere thou art much older. 

Sir St. George. But — 

Sir Henri, Ask me no questions ; give me no commands. 
{Exeunt) 



Scene 3, Act I — Knights' Headquarters. 

Le Roy. {Entering) Our knight, Sir Henri is coming 
this way with two prisoners. One is a nun and the other is a 
handsome you'h. Such a handsome youth. He has a sword and 
armor and all that. 

Captio. Oh, now I will stake my tunic against a ripe pome- 
granite that it is an elopement, nipped in the bud. A knight and 
a nun eloping. A milk and water madness just fit to cap the 
climax of Acre follies. Waagh. 

Le Roy. Let's away to tell my brother, Sir St. George. 
{Exeunt) 



—13— 

Sir Henri. {Entering with prisoners) Ye twain will do well 
to yirepare to meet the awful wrath of S'r St. George. {To Sir 
St. George, enteTing) Commander, to aid me in the difficult task 
of keeping a certain knightly vow I made to ihee but recently, I 
have arrested these two whom thou seest before thee. 

Judith. {Throtving off' nun's gard) Oh, I beg pardon of 
that pious rig. Thy knight here advised its use to prevent curious 
scrutiny on the way hither. I, a nun ? I with a history of 
three husbands and willingness for a foutth? Ha, ha ! 

Sir St. George. By n.y device, Judith ? Oh, now thou 
wilt t«rll me how fares thy mistress, the beauteous Aureola ? 

Judith. Never happier, 1 do believe, than she is just now. 
But tiiat fine young person in a corselet yonder can report of her 
better than I. (/'(??«/j- /"^ AuREOi a) 

Sir Sr. Geokgk. Why, now, may all angels bless everybody, 
this is my Aureola. {To Sir Henri) About face, ha, ha. {Em- 
bracing Aureola) All this is unconventional. {Kisses) And 
this, and this, and this. But I, as supreme in command here, 
decree such salute a war necessity. 

Aureola. This is confiscation, methinks, Sir St. George. 

Sir St. George. But with promise of remuneration. Re- 
cord, Aureola, thy claims and I will approve them. Even 
increase them, if desired by ihee to do so. 

Aureola. My claim, Commander, is that thou pardon my 
garb. I was dressed for a state meeting of the ancients of the 
Golden League Council when thy knight arrested me. He 
would not let me wait to change my tire. 

Sir St. George. That tire ! It is to me an angel's. It 
is the same thou didst wear the night thou and Judith yonder 
picked me up on the bloody field of Nazareth. Dost remember, 
how while ye twain were lugging me along, my arms hung about 
thy girdle somewhat thus ? 

Aureola. Oh, impossible. Hid thine arms shown as much 
life then as now I would have dropped thee as one dangerously 
lively. 

Judith. {To Sir Henri) Thy Commander is as ardent as 
my first and as tender as my third. I knew not that the knights 
could be so. 

Sir Henri. Oh, yes ; all good fighters come naturally by 
ardency witii ye palpitating angels in the flesh. 

Judith. I could bless the pretty pair for bringing me sweet 
memories — if thy commander were only a Jew. He being an 
alien, I must not countenance their doving. Be pleased, knight, 
to take me to some seclusion. 

Sir Henri. Methinks they do not just now desire the counte- 
nance of either of us. {Exeunt Sir Heury and ]vt)1th) 

Sir St. George. Oh, beloved, this meeting brings joy, but 
joy pursued by engulfing clouds. The Golden Leaguers are 
Mammon-mad and care naught for thee except through thee to use 



—14— 

the great wealth and the titles of thy ancient family, my beloved. 

Aureola. But what can I do against the will of my father 
and that mighty League ? 

Sir St. George. Flee Acre at once ! 

Aureola. Absence from here, thou being left in all this sea 
of troubles, would be to me but added torture, my knight. My 
heart yearns for freedom to live just naturally in undisturbed love 
with its idol, but cruel fate rules otherwise ; therefore I shut my 
eyes and get what pleasure I may listeni.ig to the applause of the 
multitudes as I am pushed alonj: the Hangerous heights to a posi- 
tion promising to be loftier than that occupied by any other 
woman now living. 

Sir St. George. And I must stand powerless to help thee 
as thou art pushed among dred perils, or see thee soar forever 
beyond my reach. 

Aureola. Nay, say not so When I am a queen I may 
command, and I will. What use of being a queen if I must be 
as prudish as an uncrowned wonan. Oh, this way will I rule 
Ye ancients, stand back; far back. Handsome youth, draw near. 
Now speak all the ardent nonsense which is in thy heart. No^v 
embrace thy queen. Oh, kni.rht, I fear that thou wilt prove 
thyself a rebellious — or a stupid subject. 

Sir St. George. Why? Oh, I was stupid, but I promise 
that I never will be with thee again, my qu'^'en. {^Embrace) 

Aureola. And when the rabbles forsake me, as thou sayst 
they will, I shall be sure of thy fealty ever ? Remember there 
are three rival queens in the field. 

Sir St. George. True religion and true love never rival 
each other, Aureola. They can flourish together however diff- 
erent the creeds which lead the souls of lovers. I take thee to 
my heart as its qu^en and know still of no rival to the Madonna 
whom my soul adores, Aureola, 

Aureola. I might have foreseen this. Thou art a Teutonic 
knight of St. Mary. Had I accepted any of the many courtiers 
of the League as my lover, such one would have no other queen 
in heart or soul except Aureola. 

Sir St. George, Thy mood seeraeth over hilarious for the 
gravity of this debate, my beloved. 

Aureola. No>v thou art cruel, and I am wounded. Cheer- 
fulness, at least in heart, I have not known for months. I laugh 
to force back the ever present tears aid jest to keep fr )m groan- 
ing. It is woman's way in trouble. What is there before me ? 
I see only confusion, separation from the one I love as my life, 
rivalries and likely scenes of bloodshed. Oh, it is all so horrible ! 

Sir St. George Now answer I thee as to thy challenge of 
my loyalty. Listen ; there is a conspiracy between certain 
treacherous Golden Leaguers ani some of the Mohammedians 
without, to abduct both thee and thy father the day set for thy 
coronation. The abductors hope to come by the wealth of the 



I 



Golden Empire League through that abduction. 

Aureola. Methinks that thou hast been misled, Sir St. 
George by some petty gossip, and yet this tale is very romantic. 
Very like some old fairy story. I know not whether to laugh or 
cry about it. 

Sir St. George. Hear the proof. I was offered a bribe, a 
large one, only to facilitate the abduction by not opposing it with 
any force. This parchment sets forth what I have said {holding 
up parchment) 

Aureola. Oh, now I am curious. How much did the con- 
spirators ttimk this inconsequential Jewess worth ? Did any one 
haggle about the price ? Oh, yes ; and more important, how 
near to the price that thou wouldst take did the bargainers come? 
Now, thou must confess, Sir St. George. 

Sir St. George. They offered me my safe escape to Europe, 
or a Pashaship in the Moslem army, if I so willed, and such sum 
as I might name. The space for the number of the gold shekels 
is here left blank for me to fill as I will. But there was no hag- 
gling, Aureola. Instantly the bribers knew from me that for 
this whole world piled upon all the other worlds bestudding yon 
sky, I would not sell mine honor, or make merchandise of thee, 
beloved. Dost thou now believe me all loyal to thee, my heart's 
queen. {Embrace) 

Sir HENfRi. {Reentering with Judith) Your pardon, but 
father Maimonides approaches in a rage. I heard his voice 
without just now wrangling with our Captio, who prevents his 
coming into this place. 

Judith. Oh, now, this is dreadful. If Maimonides finds us 
here, he will kill us two poor women. Oh, these men, young and 
old, are ever destroying us poor creatures in this life with their 
hatings or their lovings. What shall we two do ? 

Sir Henri Commander, having arrested the daughter, may 
I not arrest also the father ? 

Sir St. George. That would delay matters, but cure nothing. 
Sir Henri. 

Beatulus. {Entering) Commander, thy pardon, but Captio 
and I have a rope ladder we have used at the casement when de- 
sirous of a night's excursion without exposure, ha, ha ! Here the 
ladder. {Opens a box) Ha, ha 1 

Sir Henri. Beatulus, hurry to Captio. Tell him on some 
pretense to keep the Jew at the door for five minutes longer. 
{Exit Beatulus) Now, Lady Aureola, the stair this side, the 
ladder on the other — 

Beatulus. {Re-entering) Captio is bellowing like a bull of 
Bashan at the Jew. Ha! ha! hal 

Sir St, George. Thou, Beatulus, shalt go as a guard to 
these fair prisoners in their escape hence. 

Beatulus. Canst thou not send along, also, some man of 
war ? I am not a fighter, but a cooker. Ha, ha ! 



— 16— 

Sir Henri. Commander, having brought hither the pretty 
knight and the nun. I am in duty bound to escort them to their 
abode. 

AUKEOLA. {^Drawinjj; her rapier^ And we two men will pro- 
tect these two women. (Pointing to Judith and Beaiulus) 
La^iies, forward. Sir Henri next. I will be the rear guard. 
(Sir H.. B. and J. exeunt. Aureola, on the siairs) When 
next we meet, St. George, I will be queen of all the world, at 
least by the voice of the Ancients of the Golden League. Put 
whatever comes, thou shalt be my knight, lover and sovereign 
unto death. 

Sir St. George. Aureola, light of my soul, farewell. {Exit 
Aureola) Ah, so sets for me forever that sun. Thick, indeed, 
the darkness which now gathers about me. 

Maimoxides. [Entering, pushing Captio aside) Com- 
mander, thou wilt excuse my abruptness, but my concern is very 
great. My daughter and her maid were put under arrest, for what 
I know not, bv one of thy knights. Are they here ? 

Sir St. George. Thy dangliter is not here. Her arrest was 
without any authorization from me. If on return to thy palace 
thou dosf not find her, report the fact to me, and whosoever is 
found guilty of keeping her away from thee will be dealt with 
severely by my direction. 

Maimonides. My gratitude, Commander. (Going) 

Sir St George. Since thou art here, be pleased, respected 
Maimonides, to tairy a little. I would w arn thee of great dangers 
which threaten both thyself and thy daughter. Thy proposed 
revolution certainly will end in disaster. I entreat thee to take 
thy daughter and flee at once out of this pandemonium. A friend 
of mine sails hence to-night. I can procure for thee and 
Aureola a passage on his ship, bound for Europe. 

Maimonides. I have no time to consider any such remarkable 
propo-al as thon dost maWe to-day. To-morrow I shall see thee 
and then we may consider all matters relating to Acre. 

Sir St George. To-morrow may be too late. Already the 
quays are covered with multitudes clamoring to escape the star- 
vation and plague and impending massacre. Ere to-morrow, 
those clamoring for escape homeward, will become uncontrollable 
mobs. Then some of the strongest may get away, but the weak 
will be lefi to death or the slave pens. 

(Seven bugle blasts sounded.^ 

Maimonides. Didst hear the seven bugle blasts? That's 
Israel's covenant number. God brings my people to the coven- 
anted promises of ages The chosen people come to their own 
at last, even to the dominion of the world. 

Sir St. George. Maimonides, thy daughter once saved my 
life ; I now w^ould repay the debt by saving hers. 1 realize the 
peril she is in, thou dost not. Let her go hence by ship to-night. 
In days less full of peril, in some more fitting place, thou canst 



—17— 

have her proclaimetl, if thou wilt. 

Maimonides. a very cunning knight art thou. Thou wouldst 
get her in thy power,mike iier think thee her saviour and so more 
completely win her heart. For what ? To rob her of a throne 
and make her most likely thy paramour. 

Sir St. George. I am yet Commander here, and thy taunts 
may make me fororet thy years. Mine honor shall not be im- 
peiched even by the father of the woman I love as I do my life. 

Maimonides. Love? Oh, what madness ! Love her not. 
Love of her, if it dare to come to wedlock, would be the death 
of ye both, even though these hands needed to make the bridal 
bed a bed of double murder. I swear it. Nay, thou dost seek 
to detjrade, not to exalt my child, St. George. 

Sir St. George. Listen. My knights carry one of their 
companions to burial. (^Passing procession without sing) 

The Grail Knights' Farewell. 

Thy wards, all earth's needing, Oh, Grail knight. 
Those smitten by life's darkest storms, 

Uncea-^ini^ly thou for the weakest. 
All bravely uplifting thy arms. 

Chorus. 
Farewell, farewell, thou knight so true, 

Farewell thou prince of men : 
Because thy heart so pure, so brave, 

Thy strength the strength of ten. 

To triumph arising, Oh, pure knight. 

With angels of wide sweeping wings, 
Exultingly finding thy life's quest. 

Where morning eternally springs. — Chorus. 

Sir St. George. They voice in the presence of death the 
inmost thought of every true knight. 

Maimonides Words ! words ! But thy knights rule by 
swords. Swords now rule inside and outside of Acre. Such pro- 
cessions as this pass hourly. An omen, knight. So passes thy 
power to help any. My daughter hath the Golden League and 
her father for her defence and needs none of thy puny help. 

[^A^oises without. Masses shouting The Golden League ! 
Queen Aureola !) Listen thou now. That means help ! vic- 
tory ! triumph ! I must go. I will see thee once more to-mor- 
row. But there will be great changes in Acre by to-morrow. 
Very great changes, St. George. {Exit) 

Sir Henri. {Entering) I heard that Jew's ragings. By the 
sword of the Lion Hearted Richard, I had a mind to drag him 
back hither to chain him. 



~i8— 

Sir St. George. Didst safely deliver at her father's palare 
thy charge ? 

Sir Henri. Nay, n^^r could I. The Mohammf dians having 
broken through the northern vealls, move this vi^ay, robbing all 
before thf-m. As our party went upon its wav the leaders of the 
Golden Leatjue took from u^ Aureola to proclaim her queenship 
at once in the public square. The fools believed that as soon as 
she was proclaimed the Moslem would retire respectfully to 
await her royal orders. (Aloises of rabble •without) 

Sir St. George. Now is my Aureola among treacherous 
wolves. The fitful p 'pnlace will abandon her at the first show of 
danger. Call, my faithful comrade, any who will join a forlorn 
hope. We must go to try to baulk the plotters and save her life 
when the certain emergency comes. {Exetint) 

Cap no. {Entering) Everyb^>dy gone to see a fight. So will 
I, but in a safe place {Goes vp outlook stairs) 

Beatulus. {Running; in) Oh, my <_'aptio, there is more 
topsy-turvy afo' t. The pretty Jewess hath been proclaimed 
queen of evt-rything and everywhere. Mobs are fighting all about 
her. Some to pull her down ; some to set her up. Our Com- 
mander is in the thick of the fight, trying to keep them from 
kiliinu the prettv lady. 

Captio. Our Commander? Alas, every Caesar hath his 
Cleopatra. That is the danger of being a Caesar. But why didst 
thou not help a maiden in distress, brave Beatulus? Waayh. 

Bfai ULUS. I was enlisted as a Serving Brother to cook for 
and nurse fighters not to fight. I have nothing against any one 
concerning which I wish to get myself killed. Ha, ha ! 

Capfio. Then call the uproar a show, and come up with me 
to the ou'look, to see it. {Ascends stairway) 

Beatulus. 1 want not to see a show, nor be a show that is 
bloodv. Not I. 

{A huge stone flies over wall and falls near Beatulus,) 

Beatulus. Now moderate thy curiosity, or catch upon thine 
now head the missels intended for it. Thou art dangerous com- 
panv. Flee down or I flee out of this place. 

Captio. {Frr^m the outlook) Oh, but this is a fine fracas. 
All the factions belt each other choicely. Oh, Beatulus. thou art 
missing a comedy. Ha ! ha ! Bring up thy cackle, Beaiulus. 
An old woman is on the back of some kind of a dandy. One 
arm she ha> about his neck and with the other she swings a ladle 
against his side. Waagh ! Had we a regiment of such cavalry 
we might chase the Sultan's men into the sea. Now twam are 
dragging Aureola from her dromedary. They take all her royal 
trappings. Now one is dragging at the beast's head, the other 
at its tail. If the tail holds the hump will be flattened. Waagh. 
Now Aureola spits them that rob her with her rapier. Lord, 
how our Commander mows the mob-gang. Oh, my Beatulus, the 
Moslem rush into the fray. Two to one — ten to one against our 



—19— 

s\t\e. Be a hero. Run to help our Commander. 

Beatulus {Gyrating. Offers a pot of watfr) Nay, but go 
thou. Take this pot of scald. It is a most dangerous weapon. 

Capfio It is all like a pot of li>bsters, this religious warring. 
Fanatics stir the fire and the human lobsters grapple each other 
for G »d'< sake till all are done for. Waagh. 

( Tumult near door of headquarters) 

Sir St. Georgp:. {Entering with Sir Henri) Help me to 
bind ui) this, (pointing to wound on /tis /i:ad) Sir Henri. {Flinging 
asid^ h's hrokrn sword) Beatulus, j^et me another blaJe. 

Beatulu-;. There is none true here, except this jewelled gift 
to thee from King Henry. {Rummaging in arms chest) 

Sir St. George. It is time to polish its jewels. What better 
way than by carving dastards in defense of woman's honor. 

Sir Henri. I cannot stop the tiow of blood. It were better 
thou re t here for a time. 

Sir St. George. Rest? There is no rest for me but in the 
grave. Out again to the fray. {Exeunt Sir George and Sir 
Henri. Conflict near exit) 

Le Roy. {Entering with Maimonides) They were hot after 
thee, father Maimmides. Bu^ hive no fear, our Commander will 
keep the robber rabbles out of this pi ice. 

Sir Sr. George. {Entering supporting AuKEo'Lk who is faint 
and wounded) Sir Henry; help ! Oh, Aureola, I did my best to 
rescue thee. God, God, God, let not this maiden die ! Where 
is th^ Chaplain ? Hi hath skill in surgery. 

CHAPLAm. Here. {Business iii recovering AukeolA.) 
Sir St, George. Sir Henri, never mind my wound. Signal 
all our companions to rally at this center. We must at once cut 
our way out of Acre into some mountain fastness, there to await 
for favorable news from my mother's Egyptian mission — or find 
an early do im. 

Sir Henri. I gave the signal to rally here as we were coming 
along. S )me of our knight-; escaped by sea. The few we have 
left are at hand, {points to those present) 

Ckaplain. The maiden revives. All is well. 

Sir St. George. Thank G )d ! (7\? Aureola) Now thou 
knowsi thou can>t not trust the fickle rabbles. Thy fate is fixed 
anew. Canst thou trust this ? (pointing to his sword) and this 
{pointing to his heart) to go with our knights, to what, God 
only knows ? 

Aureola. I trust thee, Sir George, and Him who sees the 
sparrows fall. 

Sir Sr. George. Companion^;, now give ye before going 
forth th-- symbols of fait ifulnes^ unto death. {Knights form in 
two lines which cross. S-^vords outstretched horizontally. Blades 
overlapping. Feet crossed as were those of Christ upon the cross. 
Lines then breik. Knights kiuel m a circle. Cross on sword hilts 
up lifted. Rise) 



— 20 — 

Chaplain Foren. Before leaving Acre forever let there be 
sung as requiem for the unburied comrades we leave behind 
"The Grail Knight's Farewell " 

Sir St. George. So be it, Chaplain Foren. 

{Second stanza sung, See words in loco) 

Maimonides. Daughter, we have fallen into a strange 
straignt, but thou art still a Queen, every inch ! Thou dost not 
give up that claim. Hast told Sir St. George this? 

Aureola. Drop thy staff of oftce, my beloved father, and let 
me dress ihee for the hour. {Puts upon her father a helmet. Gives 
him a sword and shield^ 

Maimonides. Pr<iy God none of the Council see me in this 
harness. Ah ! This sword hilt hath a cross upon it, I shiver 
at its touch ! 

Aureola. In such a time as this, signs are little, common 
humanity everything. 

Sir St. George. Are our mounts ready, Sir Henri ? 

Sir Hfnri. Ready in the stables without. I brought thee 
thine. (Exit) 

Beatulus. {Entering loaded down with pots, etc.) What shall 
I ride ? 

Captio. Waagh ! Ride? Ride a hedge-hog! Nav, an 
ostrich ! He might teach thee to bury thy empiy head when in 
danger. Drop ihy pots and arm thyself ! (Exit fieatului) 

Sir St. George. Companions, if I fall, delay only long 
enough to cover me with this Madonna banner. Then onward, 

{Noises without of horses in stampede) 

Le Roy. Commander, I beg to go at thy side and under that 
banner, in the retreat. 

Sir Sr. George. Brave brother, so be it. 

Beatulus. Oh, blood will tell. Ha, ha ! 

Sir Henri. (Re-entering) Commander, a marauding gang 
has stripped our horses from us, all except thine. 

Sir St. George. Another disaster. Now we must make to 
a refuge on loot, (to Aureola) Beloved, thou shalt take my 
steed. He may know how pircious his load to me and because 
of his love for me show thee full fathfulness. 

Ai'REOL^. But thou, Commander, wilt need thy steed to 
rightly lead us all. 

Sir Sr. George. Knights do not sit while women stand, 
nor ride while women walk. Sir Henri, (pointing to Avreola) 
thv hand (Aureola mounted) When the great gate yonder is 
flung open, a'l out toueiher, to the right. (Gate flung open) 
Forward ! God be with us. (Exeunt) 

Sounds of conflict. Chaplaiv Foren returns with Le Roy, 
who is wounded. Aureola, carrying knights banner, hurried 
into headquarters hy Sir St. George, He running hack by times 
to fight. Knights and Maimonides enter in panic, pursued) 



I 



— 21- 



Sir St. George. {To Sir Henri) It is Rokhama! Help 
as soon as all our party is in to close again the great gate. Too 
late ! {Moslem rush in and overpower the Christians, etc.) 

Curtain. 



ACT II. 

Time, Two Months after Act I. 

Scene i — On the Great Highway to Egypt. Near River 
Eschol, Gaza. 

{Noises of troops cheering without) 

Rokhama. By the bones of the ancient Shepherd Kings, 
that cheering is like a cooling breeze to one in a fever. It is the 
first applaase I have heard from my troops for weeks. Our 
triumphal march to Egypt is becoming much like the gliding 
along of an army of discontented ghosts. 

DooBERDAB. Those cheering just now. Great Pasha, are the 
Centaurs of the Nile, thy body guard. Being well fed, they are 
happy, and also loyal to thee. The rest of thy soldiers are, for 
the most part, too near hunger to cheer thee. 

Rokhama. But by the frog plagues of Moses, I cannot dance 
the rocks into dromedaries. Acre was nearly bare on account of 
its long seige when we took it. We got therefrom little more 
than the Christians whom we captured. Thou must stir up our 
hired ranters to placate our malcontents by some fine tales about 
the glories which await patient patriots hereafter. 

DooBERDAB. The hungry are wont to laugh to scorn those 
who offer a far off heaven to satisfy present famine. Some of thy 
followers are now on the point of even refusing to cross the 
Egyptian border, being ashamed to meet their kinsmen at home 
w'th no spoil to show as reward of their long campaigning in 
Palestine, 

Rokhama. By set of the Infernals I have mind to let loose 
upon the malcontents those of my army yet loyal. Report is 
brought me that my Princess Astarte comes from Egypt to meet 
me as a conqueror. Am I to be shamed in her presence, because 
half my following is in rebellion ? 

DooBRRDAB, Ir were wfll th?t thou send to t^y Princess to 
command her not to rnm'» to Gazi. Oh, my glorious Pa^^a, I 



■22- 



must tell thee that thy mamelukes rage in secret because thou 
hast permitted the rich Jew, Maimonidc, and his followers to 
set up yonder bv Eschol Kiver iheir encimpment. The Jew was 
thy prisoner at Acre's lall. Thy men not undt rs'aniiing wliy he 
has liberty with plenty i ow. demand that his encan.pment be 
raided and its ahun-lance di-tributed to ihem. 

RoKHAMA. By all the deaf and blind trocodiles of the Delta, 
hast thou not told them that this MaimoniJes hath immunity by 
royal hrman of the Sultm ? 

DooBERDAB. Bu' ihy Mamelukes are going about to whisper 
that thou wert ever anxio is to execute that royal orde-, bec.iuse 
infatuated by the be uteius dau^her of the Jew. Horrd)Ie to 
ted, but I must. M inv of thv men at niijh' about their bivouac 
fires sing ribald songs, likening thee, great Pasha, to t'le ancient 
Samson of Gaza, who was led to des'ruction by thai syren called 
Delillah, 

RoKHAMA. Go Is of the Nle, my Astatte must not hear 
these slanders ! My faithful, thou shalt arranye for the sale of 
knight S'.. George an-i all his foil owmg at once. S np my harem 
to swell the number to be sold and with the proceeds feed my 
fine rebels into qu'e'. 

DoOBERDAB. The division of the sales proceeds will not give 
much lo each. Bu' all shall be done as thou hast said, great 
Rokhama. (Exit) 

Troops {without in a carouse) : 

Samson, Samson, great giant Samson ; 
Deilliah. I'eliijih, got the hair of Samson. 

Ho ! ho ! ho ! 
Sam'^on, Samson, poor silly Samson ; 
Delill ih, D Iillah, got the eyes of Samson. 

Oh ! ho ! ho ! no I 

Shumentu. {Enterinif) It is a pitv, great Pash-a, that some 
of thv mt-n go ab ut siam ng their holy Mo-^l-m aith by get'ing 
as drunk as do C'lnsiians. Now listen to their carousings. 
{Sinj^mg withont) 

Rokhama. Thev are lampooning me with their doggerel. 
Tht-se same men were shout' g themselves hoa''se a few weeks 
since to acclaim me ihe conqueror of all Syr'a's inviders. 

Shumentu. A solHier of fortune becomes a football of his foes 
wVen he ceases to hold the hearts of his fighting mm. Thy 
hungry Mamelukes rage f.jr spoil. Let the most restless go 
raidji g, 

Rokhama. There are none nin[habouts whom they might raid 
except loyal subjects of the Sultan. He hath forbidden tliat any 
such be robbed. 

Shumentu. Except by the regular tax collector. I presume 
to appoint thee such, as a war measure. See to it in making thy 



—23— 

assessments, that thou leavst eich victim enough upon which to 
survive until thy next taxing? time. That is practical poli'ics. 
What m'>re hath any gond citizen a riglit to expect ? 

RoKHAMA.. Rut my f >il >wers demand that Golden Empire 
Encanipinent over there by Eschol river be raided. 

SHUvfENTU. Thy men are right. 

RoKHAMA Put the Sultan hath expressly forbidden that. 

Shumentu, He desires t'lat the raiding be deferred until he 
in per^^on can supervise it. He doth not trust thee to make the 
division of the spo 1. Canst thou trust him? 

RoKHAMA. By Karnac, thy words smell of treason, Shu- 
men'o ! 

Shem"NTU. Treason, if successful, is called patriotism. Didst 
ever hear, great Rokhama, th «t all the Pagan gods were at the 
beginning d viN ? Success brought them worship. Bur the un- 
successful one"? remaine'i poor devils to the last. {Music of tun- 
brels, pipes, etc approar/itn^) It is thy Astarte's band. It comes 
to serenade thee, nio^t likely. 

RoKHwiA. Ah, thit is music, indeed. A Lotus-Land Love 
Song. I know it well It was the music at our wedding- It 
tells me my Princess Astarte comes herself to lead in the sere- 
nading. 

Astarte's Gitaud (Entefing) Most powerful Pasha, thy 
noble co'sort, the sister of our sublime Sultan comes this way. 
{Exeunt obscqueoush') 

AsTARiE. {Entering with great pomp) Hail, invincible Roh- 
kama ! 

R'tHKAMA. With all the ardent words the love-gods have 
coined for mortals, I welcome thee, my beautiful princesb-wife. 
{Embrace) 

Astarte The instant news reached Egyot that thy scimeier 
had made a fin sh of the Chris inn invaders, I sped hither to join 
in acclaiming thee th*^ ereates' defender of the Cresccint that our 
Isl.im n tion hath. ( Waves away atttndants) 

Rokhama. Miy Allah grant that my victories do much to 
promote t*iee, my piinces*, to become the Mohammedian Ma- 
donna Whrn I enter Egvpt to be hailed as conqueror, I shall 
asmyrewvrd a^k th it tnou be proclaimed as such. And thy 
priest, Shunnentu, shdl help us. But thou hast not greeted liim 
as y'='t, Princess. (Astarte effects not to see Shumentu lohen 
the latter hows) 

Shumentu. We all rejoice at thy great husband's conquests, 
and at 'hy condescension in visiting us here. Princess. 

RoKH.wiA. {Adde to Astarte) Thou wilt gravely offend 
Shume'>'u by cutting him thus. 

Astarte. {Asid--) A cut is better than a kiss, when surgery 
is neeted. I know not whether to fear or hate most that priest. 
Come. (Leads Rohkama to one side) 

Shumentu. Thankmg ye both for your hospitality, I will 



—24— 

retire. {Aside) A year's absence from each other leaves no room 
for pious exhortations from me just now. But they will both need 
my exhor'ation very much, some day. (Exit) 

RoKHAMA. By Karnac, thv snub of the priest was daring, 
but. mathinks impolitic, beloved. 

AsTARiE, Shum-ntu left me to fight alone in Egvpt against 
my adverse fates just when I needed him. That after I had 
given him prmcely sums of gold, When I besought him to tell 
roe if my pleasure Empire was to stand against the rising splen- 
dors of that Madonna of the Christians, he was silent. Alas, 
all our orai les are dumb when that question is nsked. 

RoKHAMA. And thy cause prospers not in thine own country? 
AsTARTE. Alas, our Egypt is fickle. Not long ago my name 
there was upon every tongue for promotion, but of late thf popu- 
lace forgets me. A certain baroness of France, on some kind of 
mission of world peace, hath won all clas^es at our capitol. 

RoKHAMA, But does she aspire to be the Moslem Ma^^onna ? 
AsTARTE. Niy ; quite otherwise. She is devoted to Mary of 
the Christians and hath won from the Sultan not only a decree of 
perpetual defence for her New Eden at Bethlehem, but permis- 
sion for the Christian knights to establish a garrison at Jeiusalem 
for the protection of all non-combatant sojourners of their faith 
in that region. What all this may lead to I cannot foresee, be- 
yond that it murders my ambitions. It is now time to light my 
altar fires to Osirus. I will go to my tents now. Thou wilt come 
to my encampment soon, beloved Rokhama ? There I will tell 
thee all. 

Rokhama. Surely, light of my life. Look for me ere moon-set 

{Some Christian captives lead past ^ 
AsTARTE. Some of thy prizes ? Now, thou shouldst give me 
one as a present. This is my birthdiav. Hast forgotten that? 

Rokhama. Shame covers my countenance that I did not pro- 
pose the gift first. Dooberdab, bring to the Princess that cack- 
ling Kangaroo. 

Beatulus. He 1 give thee, Astarte, is glib in the Syriac of 
this country and will mightily amuse thee. 

{Beatulus dragged in roughly.) 
Beatulus. What a way to escort a cook gentleman to a 
princess ? 

AsTARTE {to Dooberdab). Is this odd creature vicious? 
Beatulus. Excuse me, most Beautiful-Lofty, let me tell thee 
all. I h?ive no politics, no religion and never was in love ; so I 
am docile. I came to this country merely to get a situation as a 
cook. I had heard that all the troubles of the Holy Land came 
to it because of its bad cookers. Ha ha ! If thou wilst to try 
me, I can produce good recommendations. Ha ha ! 

A ST ARTE {to Rokhama). Adieu. Remember, before moon-set. 
( To Beatulus.) Come, I will introduce thee to my imps, none of 
whom more unhandsome than thyself. 



—25— 

BeatuLUS. Introduce me to thy imps ? Imps ? I ? Imps ? 
Ha ha ! Imps? O-o-o-o I — 

{Exeunt A starters (oinpany. Business ad li^. Pro- 
cessional music y (Sr'f.) 

Shumentu. {Re-entering.) Neighbors who exchange servants 
quicklv end friendships. But thou art radiant, glorious Pasha. 
Has heard good tidings ? 

RoKHAMA. All Etfvpt is in a fever to give me a triunnphal 
reception ou rivaling those given by ancient Rome to her conquer- 
ing ^ener;ils. 

Shumentu. Thy fame spreads from the Christian capitols to 
St-^ppes of Asia; but priests of mine lately arriving here fr im 
Cairo report to me that thou hast many enemies in Egypt. Made 
such by their jealousy? 

RoKHAMA. I have been accustomed to facing enemies all my 
life. 

Shumentu. Facing enemies is one thing ; having them behind 
thy back and disarming thee with pretense of friendship is quite 
another Great Caesar ( culd not cope with such. Oh, Roklama, 
thou walkst in a fool's paradise. What will thy triumphal 
entrance to Egypt mean ? Thou, a great show for seven days. 
Given thunderous applause for a brief time, then the dismal in- 
difference of a foreetful populace. Given by the nation glitter- 
ing baubles, ponderous titles, a pension, and then — dignified 
oblivion. Ah, when a great soldier outshines his home govern- 
ment, he must needs rxp- c praise well seasoned with humiliation. 
Mamelukes. {Without. Singing ^* Samsony Great Giant 
Samson ! ") 

Rokhama. By Set of the Infernalles, I cannot endure this 
lampooning. 

Shumentu. Then dare to seize thine opportunity. Under- 
stand that medals cannot shout nor titles fight when legions rush 
to battle Arrest thy march to Egypt. Decline the meaningless 
triumph — show, posses-; thyself at once of all there is in the 
GoUen Empire encampment. By its spoil win back tie hearts of 
thy veterans. Then wipe from the face of the earth every vestige 
of that New Eden community, 

Rokhama. And then ? 

Shume tu. Proclaim, then, a world queen of thy naming and 
defv anv who would opp'ise thee anywhere. 

Rokhama. It shall be done. Now dawn Astarte's Pleasure 
Empire with my princess as the new Madonna. 

Shumkntu. Thy magician wife is a pagan by origin and a 
Mohammedian by trainintj. Changeless Jewery and Christian 
spiritualism will never accept as their ideal one from polygamous 
Mohammedism or worn-out Paganism. 

Rokhama. What is this thou sayst ? Thou that hast re- 
ceived all of Astarte's vast inheritance on pretense that thou wert 
devoted to her promotion to this Madonnaship ? Dost thou con- 



— 26— 

fe<!s that thou hast been cheating both her and me all these years ? 
By all the gods of the Lowr-r Judgment thou hast lived too long. 
(Approaching Shumentti with menacing.^ 

Shumentu. Oh, great Paha, do not get thyself excited about 
a little thing such as this. As'arte gave me gold and I gave her 
pleasant dreams. It is time for her to awaken, but she will have 
the memory of the dreams to console her. Thou art not cheated, 
for I come to show thee glory's pith. 

RoKHAMA. Explain and quickly, thou plotting Pagan. 

Shumentu. I see a triumphal arch, wide as a continent. 
Nations w.iit for a majic wor^l. Thit spoken, through that arch 
they march to shout Kmg Universal. May be Rokhama, King 
Universal. But there are many ambitious men. Some other 
than thou may Heal with me as to that mighty word. It would 
be a pity if he did, since the <>ne getting it might feel called upon 
to cut off the heads of my friends, Astarte and Rokhama, as his 
rivals ! 

Rokhama.. I understand thy covert threat. What is the 
price of that wonder word by which I may mount that splendid 
throne ? 

Shumentu. Wise R'^khama. {Extending palm.') The earnest 
now ; two hundred gol 1 shecklcs. Next moon, four hundred ; 
the moon after, eight hundted. 

Rokhama. Yes ; certainly. A prophet for revenue only. 
Here, the two hundred first arguments. The rest will come as 
nanned. But let my words burn into thy soul. Upon the first 
S'gn of any treachery in this from thee I will stop thy black 
hea^t^^ beatings. 

Shumentu. {Counting.^ Good. Now hearken to the secret 
of dominion. Thy heroism for the Crescent assures thee Mo- 
hammed Ian devotion. Wm Aureola. Like a courtier, if possible ; 
like a brigand, if thou must. {Counting.) Then with her gold 
buy rabbles and all purchable oracles to proclaim that in the 
person of thy Jewess the Madonna of the Christians reappears. 
(Counting.) No one could disprove that claim ! It will dazzle 
m Hi ms of the unthinking and gain to thy support Chri-itians and 
Jews in all parts of the world. (Counting.) Making reincarna- 
tion thy slogan, thou can riie the whirlwind thou dost invoke to 
glory limitless. {Exit, cotuiting.) 

RoKH\MA. {Soliloque) That pagm makes all women and all 
religions but pawns in ambition's great game. But I must mount 
hi- whirlwind and ride as my fate points. Win Aureola, that 
Golden Jewess? Claim that Mary has returned to earth in 
Aureola ? Reincarnation. That the master key to everything ? 
The world is mine. Mine ! Mine ! 

DooBERDAB. (Entering.) Thou art well rid of that chame- 
leon priest. He is a pagan and paganism now being outlawed in 
Egvpt, thy loyalty will be brought under suspicion through his 
frequent visits to thee. 



—27— 

RoKHAMA. He has the cnnning of an hundred generations of 
pagan intrigue and is useful to me. 

DooBERDAB. Useful ? Dangefous. Taking money to pro- 
mote thy Princes wife, he is the Eastern head of the League of 
the Golden Empire, secretly. I saw Shumentu praying one 
evenini^ with Ma'iommedians and the next morning selling pagan 
god images by the pound and span. A joiner of everything he is 
loyal to nothing. 

RoKHAMA. He has his price. I have paid it, and he is mine. 

DooBEKDAB. Because of what I have done for thee, my 
glorious master, 1 dare now to warn thee. That Shumentu hath 
infla'ned ihy brain until thy tongue tells me under the moon 
while thou sleepst, things I dread to think of under the sun. 

RoKHAMA. One having such a fool tongue should never sleep. 
But tell me, my faithful, do its mumblings much move thee ? 

DooBKRDAB. Move me ? They by times chill me to the very 
core. {Looking anxiously about.) Thou dost seem often to dream 
of rising to the throne of the Sultan. {Goes to look for eaves- 
droppers. ) Treason. {Falls upon his knees) and murder (Falls 
almost to the ground and covers his face) are in thy sleeping 
thoughts ! 

RoKHAMA {placing his hand upon Dooberdab's head.) Wouldst 
thou flee such a dreamer ? , 

DooBERDAB. Flee? Flee? Thenceforth to be a masterless 
dromedary in a waterless desert? Years ago I pawned my 
mother's mummy to buy thee fine robings with which to pay 
court to the Princess Astarte. And not being able to redeem 
that pawn, every hour since I have feared my mother's shade 
would come to rage at me for the profanation. Yet, had I an 
hundred mothers dead, the mummies of them all I would pledge 
to lift thee up, my glorious one. 

RoKHAMA. Divine constancy. Thou shall soar with an eagle 
towards the eye of the sun. Know that I do aspire to the 
throne of the Sultan, but only that it may be a stepping stone to 
one vaster far than any now held by mortal. 

DooBKRDAB. But is Astarte with thee in thy plans? 

RoKHAMA. Her wings are too puny to fly with eagles. 
Aureola is the woman of destiny, for she has gold, and gold, like 
death, is a last argument in all world debates. Yet, I must keep 
Astarte my daring, useful darling for a time. Her caravan is not 
far awav. Go to my magician wife often. Cajole her with pretty 
inventions. 

DooBERDAB. Nay, my Glorious One ; but thou go. That 
beautiful necromancer is a woman of the world. Such can be 
cajoled finely only by their husbands. But remember she is 
politic, cunning and dangerously daring. {Exeunt.) 



—28— 

Scene ii (Act ii) — Rokbama's Camp. 

{Slave sale going on heyond a. nearby hedge.) 

ROKHAMA. How goes thy revolution -whirlwind to-day, 
Shumentu ? 

Shumentu. I have sent to Maimonides a message as from 
thee, commanding a visit at once to thy camp. Before the Jew 
arrives let us have thy prisoner, Sir. St. George, before us. We 
must bribe him in some way to become our ally. 

RoKHAMA. Dost thou forget how miserably we failed with 
Jiim at Acre in all attempts at bribery? 

Shumentu. I do not forget that misery modifies many a 
moral code, nor that everything that mortals have is for sale for 
something its owner thinks of mere worth. Conscience itself is 
the auctioneer. If thou dost not ofTend it by too gross bluntness 
thou canst buy what thou wilt. 

RoKHAMA — That is, if thou hast the sufficient price. What 
price i-hall we name to trap the knight ? 

Shumentu. Try the oldest and newest trap of earth ; tl e 
sweetest and yet the bitterst. A pretty woman. That first. 
The Luna Feast slave sale is on to-day. Plunge Sir. St. George 
into the midst of it. Hospitably give him somehow a little tf 
this Egyptian decoction. {Holas tip bottle.) Balm of lotus and 
poppy ! Then we shall see what we see. {Dooberdab er.ters.y 

KoKHAMA. Doth hear, my faithful Doobeidab. Take tie 
captive St. George to our Ladies' Fair, where the sale of the 
pri2es goes on. Tell my Ardenia the luxurious Georgian her 
prized kcks and coraline ears will be shorn close to her head 
if she fail to allure him into tender glances. 

(Jijcit Dooberdab. Procession of captives pass toward mart, 

Shumentu. That group swells the display to at least ten 

score. The charm of fools ; the pawn of ambition ! For such 

some have sold the world, and some bought perdition. {Exit.y 

{Ho k ham a stands by Rose of S hat on Hedge and gazes out on mart, 

I oices op those bartering for captives tvithotit.) 

Vendor. Who would take this waif from Paradiie? 

{Bartering voices ) 
Vendor. Now have we a prize fit for a Sultan. Supple in the 
dance is she. Her voice makes the birds envious. 
{Bartering voices.) 

Vendor, Behold the prize of the day! Color rivaling the 
sky and the gardens of the palace. Angels left heaven of old 
lor such as this Georgian Aphrodite. 

( Voices bargaining.) 

Kafadar. {A Tnrkish Trader passing back from sale.) One 
■would nted to offtr a province to buy that Georgian. Me thinks 
she was put up merely to get bids of which her owner could after 
oast. 



—29— 

Charmagly. (A trader.) I wanted the pretty little Persian, 
but she was dead when taken out of the river. Likely she has 
had a hard master, who drove her to suicide. 

EiMELA. {A little Greek slave girl dragged from mart by her 
new ozvner.) Oh, do not part me from Zoe ; she is my twin 
•sister. We were never separated. {Exit, weeping.) 

Edilulu. {Passing out from mart. Breaks away from buyers-p 
runs back into matt.) Oh, do not let that dreadful black man 
take me ! 

[Sounds of lashing and cics in mart.) 

KafADAR. This is very bad work. Very. 

Charmagly. I never lash any .: th.-i women I buy, I treat 
them quite as kindly as I do my horses. Then they v^ear well. 
■{Exeunt traders.) 

RoKHAMA {standing by hedge,) By the gods of the frozen 
North, that Knight moves like one in some stupor. Neither the 
sinuous Armenian dancers nor those pretty Greek girls, sporting 
in Eshcol's waters Naid-like as nature made them, gain a glance 
from him. My patient Dooberdab, weary of his task of tempter, 
brings the chaste knight this way. 

{Dooberdab enters with Sir St. George. Shumentu slinks along' 

behind. 

Dooberdab. Great Pasha, thy servant and thy prisoner. 
{Bozuing humbly.) 

RoKHAMA. Nigh two hundred years costing thy people count- 
less gold and millions of men end with the Crescent above the 
Cross, Knight. 

Sir St. George. Our cause seems here and now a lost one. 
I am a last fragment. Art thou the executioner ? 

ROKHAMA. Thy thick neck and ruddy cheek prove that life 
is sweet to thee. I admire thy valor, and my mercifulness 
prompts me to offer thee triumphant Mohammedianism. Thou 
mayst command conquering soldiers and learn of a life that is 
here constant rounds of delight ; hereafter perpetual youth ; an 
hundred senses instead of five ; with pleasure ever growing as the 
moons crescent from the silvery ribbon to the glorious full. 
{Ardenta the Georgian ssars by. 

Sir St. George. Rhapsody builds many air castles. 

ROKHAMA. By all that is ardent {pointing to Ardenta) thou 
hast won already that waif from Paradise. 

Dooberdab {aside). He has eyes only for the face upon his 
medallion. 

RoKHAMA [aside). Whose is it ? 

Dooberdab {aside). The Madonna's. 

RoKHAMA {aside to Dooberdab). Contrive to steal that me- 
dallion. His talisman gone his courage may ebb. {To the 
JCnight.) With heaped up gold and vast flocks for princess, our 
Ardenta was sought to-day. Vainly ! Her sweet spirit and 
beautiful form goes only where her heart goes. That heart goes 



—30— 

to the brave Frank, so freely I give her to thee. Proof of my 
good will. 

{Ardent a reclines upon a mat near Knight ) 

Sir St. George. {Gazing npon his medallion.) He who buys 
a woman's body bonds himself to pay tax to all eternity for her 
lost soul. 

{Ardenta startled^ moves away.) 

ROKHAMA. Bah ! Women have no souls. 

Sir St. George. To emancipate women the knights came to 
Syria. In the name of my adored queen of purity, I set free thy 
gift to me. {Kisses medallion.) Go, and sin no more, Ardenta ! 
{Exit, Ardenta, weeping.) 

RoKHAMA. {Aside to Shumentu.) Thy traps fail. Now see 
him fall into one of my inventions. {To Sir St. George.) I 
would join thee to make thy Madonna the acknowledged queen 
of women the world over. 

Sir St. Geoege. I am only thy prisoner ; it is not worth 
while to mock me. 

ROKHAMA. I do not mock thee, Knight. Listen ! Join me 
in declaring that thy Mary of Bethlehem has come to earth again 
in the for n of a modern woman ! The brave surviving knights 
of Syria claiming that she appeared to them in a vision announc- 
ing such reincarnation would be believed by millions of their 
faith. I know how to win the Moslems in multitudes to the 
novel and brilliant claim. If we put forth the Jewess Aureola, 
who already has many adherents, as the one in whom the Ma- 
donna appears, we insure the support of all Jewery. As goes the 
Jews, Mohammedians and Christians so goes the worl 1. 

Sir St. Grorge. Pro-ligious dreamer ! 

Shumentu. True, Knight, but mortals usually believe prodi- 
ous dreams, if they be frequently affirmed and daringly fought for. 

Sir St. George. The Pasha never works except for some 
profit to himself. What is thy gain in all this, Rokhama? 

RoKHAMA. Wise knight. Bluntly, this my reward ! We 
set up the Jewess as world-queen, I marry her and become 
world-king. Now for thv share — half of the wealth of the rich 
Jewess, half the vast revenues of oar new empire, and above all 
the joy of having been the instrument of making thv Mary queen 
of all human hearts to the end of time. Thou surely wilt ru-i to 
seize the grandest offer ever made to any man who ever lived ! 

Sir St. George. Upon these Syrian mountains long ag>, the 
devil offered the Christ a world he di-i not own, but he had not 
the audacity to offer also a noble woman without consulting her. 

Rokhama. Thou speakst in riddle. Knight. 

Sir St. George. Then speak I plainlv. To all thy proposi- 
tions, no. Eternally no. As for the daughter of Maimonides 
she would scout any proposal of marriage with thee as hotly as I 
now fling from me any suggestion of disloyalty on my part to the 
mother of the Christ. 



—31— 

RoKHAMA. Thy heroics are most laughable, Knight. Aureola 
will have the choice within a few days of entering my haiem as 
tenth in rank, or of undertaking the queenship I offer. 

Sir St. George. A merciful God leaves even to slaves the 
emancipation of friendly death. Neither Aureola nor I fear to 
die, therefore we may both defy thee, Pasha. 

Shumkntu. {Aside.) Crush this purity Knight, now as I 
told thee how ! 

RoKHAMA. {Aside to Shumentu.) Now play T eloquent pre- 
varicator. {To Sir St. George.) So by the beard of the Prophet, 
thou dost merrily refuse half the world ! Dooberdab, let this 
fool's wracking be done near where we have his mother im- 
prisoned. When she hearing his bellowing and his cracking 
bones asks the fellow's offense, tell her he is a heartless son who 
let his mother be sold to the embraces of a negro rather than per- 
form a trifling service to save her ! 

Sir St. George. Rokhama, my mother? What mean thy 
words? 

Rokhama. Thy mother is a prisoner in my camp. The 
Sultan sent her to me as a token of his regard for me as his most 
loyal Pasha and as a proof to all that for the future I am to be 
absolute dictator in this Syria as to all matters between Christians 
and Moslenti, {Aside, to Shumentu.) Load thy memory with 
my lying. 

Sir St. George. My mother here ? And T knew it not ? 
No. no, no! Thou doth mock me. Say that thou doth, Great 
Pasha. Thou doth affirm her here ? Then in mercy let me for 
one brief moment embrace her. O, Rokhama, send my saintly 
mother to her people and then thou mayst wrack me, send me a 
slave to the galleys, or do with me what thou wilt. My mother ! 
Oh, my mother ! {Falls weeting to the ground.) 

Shumentu. He has brawn and his mother yet charms enough 
to please the black Moroccos. Keep mother and son apart and 
they will bring a good price in any mart. 

Rokhama. Away with the pair to-morrow. 

Sir St. George {rising slowly.) Hold, Rokhama, by inter- 
pretation vulture ! For myself I care nothing, ask nothing. 
When I have done what I shall do, it were better I were dead. 
Write out the damnable lie about the reincarnation. I will attest 
it ! (Gazing upon his medallion.^ Oh, all who love thee, thou 
peerless mother of our Lord, will scout the vile invention. Ah, 
Rokhama, thou couldst not bribe me by offer of the crown of all 
the world, but though it were my own damnation written by 
devils I would certify thy fable to save my mother. To save my 
mother ! {In frenzv of grief. ^ 

Shumentu. {Aside to Rokhama.) Oar lie about his mother 
being thy prisoner here was a masterly stroke. He will sign the 
reincarnation myth. 



—32— 

KOKHAMA {aside,) But, by Karnak, he will defeat us after 
all if he commit suicide and lead the Jewess to follow him 
in that! 

Shumentu {aside,) Oh, but we must lie about him to her 
until she comes to hate him, then will she side with thee, if only 
for revenge sake. A scorned woman is the devil's pitchfork, 

DooBERDAB {aside to Rokhama and Shumeniu,) A wonder- 
ful thing happened at the sale. Sir St. George's brother was 
Ijought, as it seems, by one from the camp of Maimonides. 

Shumentu {aside.) Ha, ha. The rivals are arming, woman- 
lil<e, with the agencies of gossip. Beatulus at the camp of 
Astarte and Le Roy at the camp of Aureola. Now for petty 
rf^encings ! 

RoKHAMA. See, the weeper is recovering. {Pointing to Sir 
St. George) Away with him to his pen. {Sir St. George lead out ^ 

D00BER)AB. Maimonides and the Jew arrives. {Business.) 

RoKHAMA {to Maimonides.) I sent for thee, father Maimon- 
ides, to inform thee that the knight Sir St. George, of late my 
prisoner, has escaped and is roving about the country at the head 
of a band of outlaws. He proposes to raid thy encampment and 
abduct thy daughter. Shameful to say he plots to wed thy 
•daughter that he may come by thy wealth but only to abandon 
her as soon as he has it, for he is enamored of a luxurious 
Georgian whom he has stolen from my harem. {Adde) Load thy 
■snemory, Shumentu. 

Maimonides. Impossible ! Sir St, George is an honorable 
man, even if he be a Christian. Oh, some one lies to thee, great 
Pasha, But if all should be as thou sayst, yet would the knight 
fail. We at the Golden League camp would meet him steel with 
steel, to his confounding. 

RoKHAMA. It is reported, Maimonides, that notwithstanding 
all the Sultan hath done for thee thou art plotting against him 
with intent to capture all Syria for the Golden Empire. The 
report had induced the Sultan to command me to aid the giving 
vover of thy encampment to spoilers from any source. 

Maimonides. I am put into a great strait by lies, lies, lies. 
Jehovah, help me and mine. 

RoKHAMA. Maimodes, I being a pious Mohammedian would 
irather suffer even unto death than lie to one in such straits as 
thou art. I love thee and thine too well to deceive thee or them. 
But here is Shapiro of Antioch, one of thy own people and in 
^igh honors as a Counselor of thy Golden League. He will 
^confirm all I have reported to thee. 

Shumentu. Revered Maimonides, it was I, thy almost 
t)rother, who moved this pious Rokhama to warn thee. He can 
help thee full well. He adores thy daughter and he is the 
trusted right arm of the Sultan. Give thy Aureola to Rokhama 



—33— 

for wife. So thou wilt balk the knight who would never dare 
cross our great leader and at the same time thou wouldst show thy 
loyalty to the Sultan. 

Maimonides. Why am I astounded. Rokhama has a wife 
already and a harem. My people abhor polygamy. Oh, im- 
possible. Impossible ! 

Rokhama. My harem is dispersed by sale. My wife, an' 
Egyptian Princess, has many lovers and now is soon to divorce 
me that she may select from them one that pleases her roving 
fancy more than do I. Listtn; my mother, of a royal Jewish 
line, had it from oracles of many lands that the daughter of 
Maimonides was this very day to be espoused to me and that 
such espousal was to be ntcessary to the elevation of the Jewess 
to world queen-ship. Thou wouldst not fly in the face of Provi- 
dence wouldst thou ? (Aside to S/nimentu.) Load thy memory I 

Maimonides. Great Pasha, I will huiry to my tent to com- 
mune with my daughter and our sacred writings. If the writings 
confitm thee, then all be as thou doh say. 

Shumentu. Maimonides thou knowst I am Supreme Coun- 
cillor lor the far East in the Le?gue of the Golden Empire. 
Thou knowst that my rank is equal to thine own. This espousal: 
I demand, as Rokhama's oracles decree. Otherwise the East 
will reject thy daughter and name another for the crown. 

Maimonides. Thy blow fiom out the League is most cruel I 
But let ii smile me. In the name of purity's God and the 1 oly 
traditions of Jewry I do declaie that Aureola though she be 
driven to shepherd flocks or beg from door todcor shall never be 
given to an adulterous m-rriage ! 

Shumentu. I have the espousal contract ready, Jew. {Pre^ 
sents parchment, ) 

Rokhama. Sign it, or thou shalt feel the sting of Rokhama, 
the S( -called Devil of Svria. 

Maimondies. But my safe conduct ? I was promised a ssf© 
return to my tents. 

Shumentu. What mockery ! Pleading a little thing like that.. 
Sign I his, or I sign it for thee, Maimonides. {Shumentu signs 
espousal ) 

Rokhama. Loyal Jew ! Generous Maimonides ! I thank 
thee for the gift to me ol thy daughter. What dcwery goes withi 
her? 

Maimonides. Take all I have, but leave that maiden her 
honor. 

Rokhama. We accept thy generous dowery. All thy 
possessions! Hi w much are they? Whence h^st thou thy 
wealth ? From some alchemy or from the mines of Solomor. ? 

Maimonides. I do not comprehend thy question, Alcliemy ? 
Mines of Solomon? 



—34— 

Shumentu {aside to Rokhafna.) He will not tell thee except 
upon the wrack. 

RoKHAMA {aside.) But Aureola will spurn me if she hear that 
I wracked her father. 

Shumentu {aside.) Get his secret, then kill him. Report 
that he has gone to Europe to see Council leaders, get wedding 
presents, or what not. 

RoKHAMA. The wrack^ Dooberdab. 

Maimonides {led c7ut.) Help! Lord, Lord God, Jehovah, 
help ! Aureola ! Oh, Aureola ! 

Shumentu. The knight and Maimonides are in the toils of 
our plot. Two steps finely taken. Now for the third. Thou 
must contrive to hurry Astarte to Egypt to tie up any storr 
rising there against thee, until we are ready to defy all wh; 
would thwart our new empire. 

RoKHAMA. I dread to meet Astarte with my proposal that sh 
lay herself a victim upon the altar of my ambitions. 

Shumentu. Dread Astarte ? Then dread to live. Fail t 
bend her to our purposes and all our labors up to this are failure 
Thy dream throne is in the balance. {Exeunt.) 

[End of Act II.] 



ACT in. 

Scene I. Palatial Tent of Princess Astarte. Instruments c 
conjuration, imagei, ^c. Patrons co??ung and going for message 
from her Sorceries, i 

Astarte. {To a cripple.) Thou art under some Christia 
spell. Burn two cypress crosses in the wane of the moon. 

{To one in nioutning.) A widow? The dead one being so 
delightsome why not take the only balm for widowed hearts? 
A living man is such. 

{^Rokhama enters with face partly disguised by his tunic.) 

Beatulus {aside to Astarte.) O, Moon, Queen, Rokhama ! 
He is yonder ! 

Astarte. All here consulting the oracles must depart at 
once. {Stirs urn on altar.) The omens are mysteriously dis- 
turbed and they direct as 1 have spoken. Patrons depart. Enter 
Rokhama,) 



—35— 

ROKHAMA. My Princess bids me welcome by making this 
ifine seclusion. 

AsTARTE. My heirt announced thy coming long before thoo 
diJst appear, my lover, lion, so I prepared this seance in love.'* 
sweet solitude for thee and me. {E-nbrace.) 

RoKHAMA. And my heart tells me I am now most happy 
amid love's conjuring embraces. 

AsTARTE. Ai, this loving is life's supreme necromancy. All 
theie are but petty toys. {Tossing aside instruments of her cult.) 
With them I while away the hours thy absence makes most 
heavy. {Embracing. Thou hast earned a long rest by campaign— 
ings for the Crescent. Now will we home to Egypt to renew^ 
oar rapturing hoaey moon where I will — I will — tell thee the 
rest under the stupefying lotus, my lover lion. {Pats cheek.") 

ROKHAMA. But I cannot go back to little, cramped up Egypt„ 
ill fameless. to make myself brother of the crocodile which 
sleeps its life away upon some Nile mud-bank. In our early 
,:ourcship days thou didst promise me a crown, Astarte. Where 
s the fulfillment? 

Astarte. But I promised, when my brother was thought to 
32 dying. I am his sole heir, and rising to his throne would 
j;lory to have thee by my side as the real ruler. {Kneels by 
Rokhama.) 

RotCAviA. Thou wert his nurse, but he lived. 

Astarte. O, he is my only, and twin brother. I could not 
kill him. {Weeping.) 

Rokhama. Yet thou wert cruel enough to teach me thy cult 
of all entrancing, exacting, tempestuous loving and then kill my 
heart ambitions. In lover days thou didst make me join thee to 
swear that neither god nor man should come between us and 
our desires. In Egypt women for a certain sin have their noses 
cut off, but thou hast thy fatal beauty still ; and because, amid 
the hells of just jealousy, I parjured myself to prove thee pure 
when thou were not ! There has not been a time from the day 
of our torrid espousal until now that I would not have done 
murder for thee. 

Astarte. Thy burning eyes and heaped up muscles maddened 
rae long ago and they do so yet, Rokhama. Thou wert a swine 
herd, of the class most despised in all Egypt, yet I, a Princess, 
gave thee all myself with full abandon and forever. To win thee 
powerful friends, I shamed my womanhood in the Temples of 
the Sacred Bulls. For thee, buying oracles proclaiming that I 
was the destined world queen, I have beggared myself. All, all 
for thee, hath my mad love done. And now, my beloved 
Rokhama, except that hideous murder, ask what sacrifice thou 
wilt of me and I shall joy to grant it. Before yon gods of love I 
swear it. {Points to Apollo ana Aphrodite.) 



-36- 

RoKHAMA. I accept thy vow. Fulfil it as I demand and I 
will condone thy failure to kill thy brother. Thou shall go to 
£gypt at once, there to plot against those who are mine enemies.. 
But before going, thou art to announce that thou goest intending 
to divorce me. 

AsTARTE. Divorce thee? Why such report ? 

RoKHAMA. Such report is necessary that I may espouse 
Aureola. All that thou canst do thou must to favor, and nothing 
to prevent such alliance. 

AsTARTE. Rokhama ! Thou say this? I give thee to 

another? To my great rival? Oh, no woman's love could 
•endure such test ! At last, I understand. I need not kill my 
brother to feed thy ambitions, but I must kill myself. I could 
not live an hour after consenting to give thee to Aureola I 
■( Weeping. ) 

KcKHAMA. {With pretense of grief.) Alas, gold is the ir- 
Tircille. brutal ^iant which forces this cruel separation, Astarle. 
The Golden En pi re of Aureola rises every hour toward successful 
establishment because vast treasure suppoits it. I mu^t have 
the Jewess as my consort or give up my darling hopes of 
dominion. 

AsTARTE. Thou art blinded, my Rokhama. Cruel gold is 
not the ruling giant of life. Gold is and ever was the ilave of 
glorious all conquering love. Oh, be thou loyal to me. To me 
alone, Rokhamo {Embracing), and sufier thyself to be utterly 
emeshed by thy passion queen's heavenly enchantments and I 
"will put thee upon a throne (Embracing) dazzling to men and 
argels> {hmbracing.) Dost think that any mortfil could withstand 
such a whirlwind as I, when once aroused. {^Embracing a long 
time.) 

Rokhama. Think? [Embrace?) A man enamored as I am 
nov , doe.«- not want to think. Cannot think ! 

AsTARTE. Now dost thou begin to understand. Oh, when 
the millions of the world come to know that our Pleasure Empire 
means the revival of great mother Mature, the enthronement of 
impulse, the liberation of all 1 earts to mate by love's royal law, 
those millions will flock with pul.'-ing raptures to our standards. 
{Embrace.) Kiss me again. Ah, thy lips are moist and trembling.^ 
{^Kisntig ) 1 h< u now hast the kiss which dost not satisfy, but 
makes another needful, and another, and another. {Exeunt.) 

BeatuLUS. {Entering from behind a curtain.) Now that is 
what I call scorching, but .''ome peoj le se« m to like it. Ah, ha, 
and that wh<lesale wifer, Rokhama, could not stand out against 
such a sirroco. But I wonder tl at that hoo doo queen is not 
"Wise enough to know that a man who needs such hot-hrusing 
wont sta} in love bloom very long with any one. Such a climate 
as this is ! I wonder if I am to be kept as her spy for long. Ob^ 



—37— 

this hoo doo woman will soon drop me. That is my fate"^ 
Drjpped as a foundling whea only a day old, I have been rejii— ' 
l.irly dropped and adopted ever since. Ha, ha. Yet how 
fortunate. Six pairs of parents instead of one pair and every 
time I wa? adopted a new name given me ! I think of myself as 
a large family of happy, big-nose brothers. Ha, ha ! My 
adopters, although first and last teaching me enough various 
religions to save a nation of sinners, generally ending in saying 
to me, go to the devil ! Oh, oh, oh ! {Pausing before a huge 
imnge with devil's head and fish's tail.) I guess I have arrived. 
Now what a place for a Christian Serving Brother to be in ! 
{^Q-ong rings.) 

Come in. That is for all me come in. {Gong.) No one comes ? 
I wonder if these bells are for fighting, feeding or fires. {Gong.) 
Holy uniformity, I forgot that Dooberdab told me that I was 
henceforth a Moslem and to pray whenever I heard these bells ! 
Pray? But how? Some stand to pray, some kneel, and sone 
lie down. Some lie which ever way they pray. ' [a, ha ! I will 
try all fashions, and so hit the right one. But to whom pray? 
Everybody, I suppose, prays to the biggest god he has near, so 
do I. {Kneels before image of fish devil.) Great he, or she, how 
art thou ? Please rid me of a part of my nose in some easy, 
healthy way. Hast any spare shackles, please drop them into 
my purse unbeknown to me. My Captio is sent a slave to Egypt. 
Get him out of that black hole and I will give thee back all the 
sheckels I cajole from thee, as long as I live. Please give me a 
tip as to which of the three world queens is to win the race, so I 
may go over loyally to the winner. Astarte hath made me her 
spy. That is the devil's own business. I do not like it, it is so 
dangerous. Please thou, get her to give it back to thee. Get 
me out of this unholy. Holy Land, with a whole skin please. Do 
not let the women take all the politics away from the men as they 
have taken, already, almost all the religion! {Gong.) Ah, that 
is for stopping. Good,.! might make a fool of myself or over 
pray myself not knowing the trade. {Rises.) My regards to thy 
family. Please do not trouble to follow me, for I have prayed 
enough to last for the other half of my life. {Moves away, look- 
ing back.) 

Astarte. The Christian pig is very pious? 

Beautulus. Oh, now I swell with pride. So I did hit the 
fashion of this place without a teacher, the first time. 

Astarte. Shall I wave hither some of my grim familiars to 
silence thee? {Waving her arms mysterioush.) 

Beatulus. O, no no ! {Runs and falls before Fish^god.) 
Help. {Crawls to another image.) Tell your mistress that I 
behaved like one of ye, when here alone. {Creeps toward Astarte.) 
Good, beautiful, saint witch-queen, I am thine to serve like a. 



-38- 

'dcg. But thou didst send me spying for thee and I am bursting 
•with the news I have gathered. 

AsTARTE. Out with it, but beware of retailing any of the 
lying g OS- sip of fools ! 

Beatulus. I have dreadfulness to tell. Thy Pasha hath 
brought Maimorides to the wrack. The Jew is dead. All dead- 
Here is the amulet I took from his body to prove that. {Extends^ 
■the afnulct.) But what a way to do! Wracking the father to 
•win the daughter instead of hugging the daughter to win the 
father. Ha, ha ! That husband of thine is about adding to his 
Tvar business that of general marriage contractor. He is about to- 
unite himself to the wealth of Aureola by matrimony. That 
whether she will or no. Slying about I heard these things. 

AsTARTE. Fool. Rokhama was born a swine-heider. One 
^c£ mean origin marrying into the royal blood csnnot get divorce 
in Eg)pt for any cause, unless the wife consent. But I demean 
n<yself arguing with such as ihcu. 

Beatulus. Oh, but a faithful ape is better than a wise hyena 
for company at dinner. Ha, ha ! Thy Husband and thy priest, 
the ore sworn to save thy body and the other thy soul, plan to be 
xid of thee altogether by — just simply tying thee up in a sack 
presently and dropping thee into the sea. Ha, ha ! I behind a 
bush heard them say so. It is so sorrowful. Hugging a woman 
as I saw that Rokhama hugging thee; then he going about to 
sack thee so cooly. Oh, what a climate this is. 

AsTARTE. Sir St. George, the lover of Aureola, will find a 
way to prevent the Pasha's plot if he must needs kill both himself 
and R( Isama, or I mis-judge the brave devotion of that knight. 

Le Roy. {I^ tinning in.) Save me ! Help me ! {Looking 
about in amaztnient.) Oh, where am I? 

Beatulus. Hallelujah ! Our bouncing LeRoy. {Embracing,) 
Oh, Princess Motn-Queen, he is the dearest youth in Christen- 
dom. Hug bin-. Oh, he is good. Ha, ha. 

Astarte, "What means this audacity ? Who is this? 

LeRoy. Oh, the traders are aittr me ! They want to steal 
me to take me to Egjpt. Thou wilt not let them ? They have 
no right so to do. 

Astarte. None dare take thee from my shrines. But explain 
thyself. 

Beatulus. Yes, talk right out LeRoy. Do not be afraid of 
any of il ese imps hereabouts. They are all tame, when our 
mi&tresy, the Moon Queer, is here. Ha, ha. 

LeRoy. Oh Princess, Aureola, the daughter of Maimonides, 

bought me at a great price. I belong to her. She sent me with 

a message to my brother, Sir St. George, vhom the Moslem now 

are taking to Africa. He is in a slave caravan passing here just 

xow. 



—39— 

Beatulus. {Gyrating.) Sir St. George going to African 
slavery ? Oh, to have lashings for provender ! To sleep on ant 
hills ! Oh, to be made to wed half a dozen big, fat blacks ! 
Ha, ha ! 

LeRoy. I could not get nigh enough to speak to my brother, for 
the traders tried to kidnap me into the gang of captives. Oh, 
thou wilt not let them,- Princess ? {Kneeling ) 

AsTARTE. {To Beatulus.) Take this to the Captain of mj 
guards. {Delivers to Beatulus a peculiar dagger.) He will know 
how imperious my command from that. Tell him to rescue and 
bring hitler Sir St. George at once. 

LeRoy. {Dancing about.) Oh, glory ! Glory! 

ASTARTE. ( Waving her arms mysteriously. To Beatulus.) 
Go, but creep as thou goestthou audacious chatterer ! The youth 
will show the way to the knight, 

Beatulus. {Creeping out, dodging images^ ^c^ I creep, I 
crawl for thee, queen of queens. 

{Astarte turns awvy. Beutulus slowly rises.) 

I crawl ro more to-day. Black or white. East or West these 
she's are all alike ! Ore of them goes crazy over some one man, 
then she expects all the rest of us lords of creation to crawl for 
her, But there be worse things than crawling for a pretty witch. 
Ha, ha, {Exit.) 

{LeRoy in amazement. Exit.) 

Astarte. {Re-entering. Stands before images of Apollo and 
Aphrodite.) Apollo and Aphroditel! Gods of Love and Beauty! 
Powerless things! Nevermore wear crowns in my presence. 
(Tares cf[ their crowns and hurls thtm to the earth. Covers with 
a veil a picture of Rokhama.) Thine e)es entrance me never 
agaii>, Rckhama. 

Shumentu. [Entering^) I come thou most honored Princess, 
and sister of the Sultan, with my cortege upon an important 
mission. 

Astarte. Thy priestship will please be direct and brief as 
well. 

Shumentu. Thy commands are law here, but Princess, it is 
the will of our great Pasha, thy spouse, that thou return at once 
to Egypt. I go thither also, and ask the honor of having my 
company go with thine. 

Astarte. Thou canting hypocrite, why not bluntly tell me 
all the truth ? "VN hy not say that thcu ard my husband plot to 
get me out of the way so that he may wed the affluent Aureola? 
But this my answer. I will stay here as long as I choose, and 
go when I go, without thy company. More, I will yet thwart 
both thee and Rokhama. That will I, although to so do I must 
needs kill that woman Aureola with these hands. 



— 40— 

Shumentu. Beware of any rashness, Princess! Do not forget 
that thy royal brother, the Sultan, hath commanded every pro- 
tection to the family and following of Maimonides. 

AsTARTE, Whit I do will be done to defend the honor of the 
royal blood and for what I do ia that line the Sultan will praise 
me. When I go to Egypt, I shall not fail to tell him that thou 
art in Egypt secretly the head of outlawed paganism. That 
makes thee a traitor. 

Shumentu. Have a care Princess, the gods suffer not their 
priests to be afTronted. 

AsTARTE. If thy gods give oracles for money as thou hast 
claimed, and when the shekels cease to flow go about to reverse 
their predictions they and their priests are beneath contcnpt. 
Say to those that thou art the nearer of heaven or of hades that 
Astarte despises and defies all such gods and such priests ! 

Shumentu. ( Waving his arms.) Holy men, come. {Priests 
and scribes run in.) The Princess blasphemes. Write out her 
impious words. If they be not at once repented, I will call down 
vengence from on high ! 

Astarte. Now that thy pompous play is ended, listen to me. 
I shall call for vengence, but from thy duped followers. I 
shall soon rage from end to end of Egypt telling the-n thou do5t 
not believe thine own teachings, that thou dost tremble before 
the rising splendors of the Christian Madonna, that thou dost 
sell thy religion as a commodity. Then they will raize thy 
temples, smash their dumb g »ds, hunt thee from Nile land and 
know that utter infidelity is better far than any pious fraud. 

Shumentu. Declare war upon me and thy last hope of being 
the Mohammedian Madonna dies. 

Astarte. A puny threat. My dream of a Pleasure Empire is 
«nded. I henceforth espouse Mary of Bethlehem, the fairest 
star of all the galaxy. Her mother heirt will never repel one so 
miserable and tricked as I have been. {Weeps.) Craven impDS- 
Aors, all, begone. 

{Pursues with a lance. Priests flee out.) 

Beatulus. {Entering. Trying to suppress laughter.) Ha ha, 
%ve he. O he he. O he he queen. Ah ha ha, may I laugh. Ha 
ha. O, he he. It is ha ha awful to ha ha, to laugh he he, among 
ith>' he he imps. Thy he he men all, he he, dressed as ha ha, red 
AS he he, red devils, are all ha ha after that ha ha caravan. And 
the he he night ha ha coming on. He he. O he he. Forgive 
me my he he. My beautiful he he. My he he queen. Thy ha 
ha laughing. Thy he he jack. Thy laughing jackass is he he, 
loose. Ha, ha. Didst ever ha ha ? Didst ever feel he he, like 
one he he ? Like one such as ha ha ? As he he I ! Oh, he he. 
Ah, ha ha. That he he carvan, will ho ho ho. Will run for 
their he he lives. Oh, ho ho. That he he knight will ha ha ha. 



—41— 

"Will soon, soon be he he,' be he he here. Ah, ha ha {breathlessly, \ 
Oh, he be, Ah, ha ha. {sinks exhausted,^ 

AsTARTE. No w silence. Go to my tent yonder. Some one 
comes. 

Beatulus. O, most beautiful Moon-Queen, do not send mo 
among thy goblins and the night coming on. I would die in 
there, with iright ! Thou wouldst miss me did I so. Thou 
needst me as thy dog, 

AsTARTE. Then climb yon cedar ! Keep thine eyes alert 
while there. 

Beatulus. {Climbing tree.) I creep ! I crawl! I climb for 
thee, Gracious, Beautiful. {Climbs tree.) 

Aureola. {Entering partly disguised.) Princess, I come 
needing help, my misery my sole plea. 

AsTARTE. I, the Priestess of Osirus, can penetrate all dis- 
guised, but still deem it an affront for any one to approach my 
august shrine, nameless and under masks. Begone. 

Aureola. {Throwing aside disguise.) I am Aureola the 
daughter of Maimonides. 

Astarte. My rival ? 

Aureola. Oh, I rival thee in nothing, unless thou art mosi 
miserable of women. My father's encampment hath been assailed, 
and I was seized therefiom by those asi-ailirg it. Pasha Role— 
hama, thy husband, was my captor. He demands that I be his 
wife. By asl<ing time to think of his proposal I made cpportunity 
to escape from him. I come to thee as a woman to a woman. 
Yea, I come to thee, the wife of the one who would drag me to 
a state worse than death to me. Thou wilt help me, Princess ? 
( Wsefing.) 

Astarte {extending amulet of Maimonides.) Knowst thoia 
this? 

Aureola. My father's amulet. He never parted with that, 
except under some ftarful stress ! Oh, Princess, tell me where i® 
my father, if thou dost know ? 

Astarte. Canst thou swear upon this amulet that Xhrnt dost 
not intrigue to win Rokhama? 

Aureola, Win Rokhama? I abhor him. The sea shall em- 
brace me in death ere he shall take me to his arms. By Israel's 
God, I swear it ! {Kisses her father* s amulet.) 

Astarte. Dost thou love the knight, Sir St. George? 

Aureola, Aye. He saved my life and my father's at bloody 
Acre. All that I am belongs to him, if he so will. 

Beatulus. {From tree. Laughing ) Oh, Princess, moon— 
crowned, thy men come with the kt'ight. Ha, ha. 

Sir St. George {entering with LeRoy.) Accept my everlasl— 
ing gratitude. Princes of Egypt for my timely deliverance^ 

Aureola. St. George ! {Embracing.) 



—42— 

BeAtulus, {From tree.) Horsemen come this way. They are 
in some search. They have the standard of Rolchama. 

AsTARTE. Now is there no time for any delayings. Ye hear 
my outlook's warning. Ye twain must put mountains and miles 
between ye and Roktiama, at once. 

Aureola. But I cannot leave my father. Oh, where is he? 

AsTARTE. I never before pitied a woman, but now I do pity 
thee. I must tell thee all. Here is thy father's amulet ! He 
will never need it more ! Let thought of vengeance dry thy 
tears ! It was Rokhama's work. 

Aureola. My father; oh, my father. Dead! {Weeping.) 

Sir St. George. Fate fixes thy course, anew, my Aureola. 
Canst thou trust this {hand to his heart) and this {pointing to 
sword on wall) which I hope to have. 

Aureola. Trust thee? Yes; anywhere, by night or day, and 
forever. {Weeping.) Oh, my father! my fathea! 

LeRoy. If the commander lets me go with ye, I will help 
him fight for thee, Aureola. 

Beatulus. Ha, ha. The rooster's spurs are growing. Blood 
will tell, Ha, ha. 

AsTARTE {To Aureola.) Thou hast a rapier. It is well. Now 
take this jeweled girdle. Thou more worthy to wear it than that 
dumb thing. {Strips gitdle from Aphrodite.) It jewels may 
serve thee in some want. {To Sir St. George.) Thy wish granted. 
{^Takes sword from wall.) This is a gift to me from Rokhama. 
If he try to take this maiden from thee give him his sword point 
foremost, and tell him Astarte told thee so to return it. By 
Egyptian law, I, being a royal priestess, may espouse ye. Cross 
four arms with hands clasped tightly so making the symbol of a 
double star. That the ancient Syrian sign of immortality. 
Immortal be your love. 

Beatulus. {From his perch.) And for a Christian blessing take 
mine. It is not worth much, yet better than none. {Laughs and 
cries.) Crying like a woman, because I am so glad. (Ha, ha.) 

Astarte {e?nbracing Aureola.) And now farewell. Thy God 
speed ye both. 

( Thunder in distance.) 

Beatulus. Thunder on the Wedding day is a sign that there 
will be none after the honeymoon ! Ha, ha. 

Aureola. {Weeping.) Oh, my father! My father ! (iE;r^«»/.) 
Aureola, St. George and LeRoy.) 

Astarte. {Calling after them.) Follow the glen path. One 
of my guards will meet ye with dromedary mounts. Now, I 
will unveil my Pasha just loug enough to laugh in his face. 
i^Moves toward veiled picture of Rokhama. Unveils it.) Thou 
wretch. (Pauses and gazes.) How like a fool I love thee. That 
Jewess would give up the whole world for the man she loves. So 



—43— 

would I for thee and hope of heaven as well. {Exttnds her" 
■arms.) No, no! We never embrace again. Tnoa didst plot to 
murder me. Yet, that 1 might forgive hadst thou not given thy 
heart's throne to another. {Seizes a scimiter ani menices.) 
Henceforth between thea and me it is war to the death. {Slashes 
the picture to pieces.) I shill sooa laugh at thy downfall. {Laughs 
hysterically.) Yet will I weep for thee. 0!i, my Rokhama, 
JRokhama. Rokhiama. {E^it weeping.) 

LeRoy {Re-entering.) Three Moslem are at them. Give me 
something wich which to figlit. 

ASTARTE {Re-entering.) Take this spear. Beatulus, arm. 
•thyself. We must to the rescue. {Seizes a lance.) 

{Exit LeRoy. Beatulus descends from tree.) 
Beatulus. I fight? I ? At last it is that or be quietly carved. 
But there is nothing left here that will cut. I take this. It is 
loose and also tough Ha, ha, {Picks up a piece of a txil of ont 
of the imp images.) Oh, now good he or she imp, I will return 
thy tail. {Business.) 

{Sir St. Geors;e, Aureola and LeRoy ^ driven in by Rokhama^ 
Shunentu and Dooberdab. A fight. Astarte sounds a horn blast. 
Her guards in their grotesque garb rush in to aid.) 
Astarte. Shall I order my men to fight ? 
Rokhama, No. A truce. We are outnumbered. 
Astarte. {Aside to Sir St. George.) Flee ere reinforcements 
come to Rokhama. Beatulus will show thee a secret pass out. 
My guards will go to defend ye for the present. Beatulus. 
■{Gives latter a signal. The wedding party and Beatulus retire.) 
Shumentu. Tne Princess is a very adroit matchmaker. 
{N'oises of boisterous cheering without and singing of 
" Samson, Samson, Great Giant Samson."^) 
Rokhama. What can that mean ? 
Dooberdab. I will quickly find out, great Pasha. {Exit.) 

{ Thunder without.) 
Rokhama. So, Astarte, thou hast aided the escape of Sir St. 
George, a prisoner of war. That is treason toward the Sultan. 

Astarte. Treason, great Pasha, seems rampant these days* 
Thy Cairo concubine recently hath confessed that thou didst 
bribe her to poison, slowly, our monarch. The bribe, the 
promise that her son and thine should succeed thee on my 
brother's throne. 

Rokhama. Lies ! Ridiculous, damnable lies ! 

{Cheering without.) 
Astarte. Something pleases thy Mamelukes. The news 
from Egypt, likely. 

Dooberdab. {Re-enteting.) Oh, my glorious master, it is 
reported that another comes to take thy command and that thoi^ 
art ordered, in chains, to the Capitol. {Kneels and weeps.) 



—44— 

{Thunder without.) 

Shumentu. {Aside to Rokhama,) Now, with all thy might 
<ajole the Princess. 

Rokhama. {Extending his arms toward Astarte) Ob, my 
faithful, tender wife, in trouble's hour true love rises to its noon,, 
and we see through the trickeries of those who envy us our 
happiness! For years, amid many toils, often misunderstood, I 
have wrought to make thee a queen above all who ever ruled 
upon the earth, Just now we are balked a little, but thy consort 
will triumph yet ! 

Astarte. {Moving away.) Superb hypocracy. A most 
dexterious player ! "What a pity that now when thou needst so- 
much a friend, there is not in all the world one knowing thee to 
trust thee. 

Rockhama. {Dropping upon one knee and moving toward herj) 
Yes, there is one, my passion queen ! Such as thou, once loving 
to the full, can never forget the heart's idol. I am of those 
pulsing human millions who bow rapturously at the feet of the 
queen of the pleasure Empire. On the wrack that lying cup- 
bearer shall recant and thou standing before thy brother by thy 
peerless eloquence spurred by a love the gods might envy, prove 
me innocent ! 

Astarte {moving away, draws a dagger.) All this is too late. 
Keep off. I am armed. Oh, didst promise the wrrack to the 
pretty cup-bearer, years ago, when thou wert letting her come 
between thee and me ? {Moving out.) 

Rokhama. {Creeping after her.) Wait! "Wait! My heart's 
sole idol ! Believe ! Trust ! Once more i 

Astarte. I go to Egypt, but with mine own escort, not thine ! 
I shall not be murdered on the \iay as thou didst plot to have me, 
but live to denounce thee from the steps of the throne as traitor 
to every trust of God and man. {Exit.) 

^ov^wAiAK {runs after her and drags her back.) Now by the 
shrines of Memphis where we were wed thou shalt not go thus \ 
Thou shalt never live to accuse me at the Capitol. 

Astarte {struggling,) Help ! Help! Is there not a man 
fiere ? {Shumentu draws near and observes placidly^ 

DoOBERDAB {running into midst.) Now must I touch thy 
sacred person. My glorions one! Do not forget! She is a 
Princess of Egypt! {Astarte falls. Strangled to death.) 
{Thunder without.) 

V.OKHAMA {Binding up wounded arm.) A lucky omen. She 
aimed thrice at my heart and missed it. 

DooBERDAB {examining body.) Dead? Woe. Woe! Our 
Pleasure Empire ruined I And my mother's mummy unre- 
deemed. Only this left. {Draws a dagger.) Which goes first 
Rokhama ? 



I 



—45— 

RoKHAMA. We go together, my faithful. But not by suicide, 
confessing that Rokhama is outwitted by a Cairo concubine and a. 
Nile witch. 

Shumentu {Examines body cooly,) Dead. Rokhama's Golden 
Empire sweeps away another obstacle. This means revolution. 
Now at any cost Anreola must be captured, 

{Thunder and lightning without.) 

DooBERDAB. Doom ! Doom ! Doom ! The thunders bellow 
only doom ! 

Rokhama. No; say rather that the storm demons light their 
torches to guide us in our pursuit of glory, gold and beauty. 
Ere to-morrow noon I shall have the Golden Jewess. {Exeunt.y 



ACT IV, 

Scene i. — Outside gate of "New Eden," Bethlehem. 

{Voice within park, singing, *^ Shepherds Watch.'^) 

Chaplain FoREN. {To Baroness D'Heartmyth's.) Our New- 
Eden sendth forth song and Godshine to all the region round 
about, these days. In truth, it seemeth that we are tasting here 
the dawn of the golden ago, Baroness. 

Baroness. — Thou hearest our Edena singing, just now. She 
hath been with me most of the day in mercy works. Her songs 
have gladdened many. But now she comes hither and will be 
overjoyed to see thee, father. 

Edena. {Entering.) Baroness — Oh, father Foren here ? Thy 
blessing, father. 

Baroness. Now I must make way to my wards, who much 
neen me. If so thou wilsl, Father Foren, our Edena can recite 
to thee the things she saw in our rounds to-day. {Exit. ) 

Chaplain Foren. — So Sunshine thou hast been adding to the 
cheer of this, the most happy day our New Eden hath known. 

Edena. And willstthen good father, tell me all abou thow this 
day is so much happier for those here than any which hath gone 
before it ? 

Father Foren. That will I. Five years ago to-day our 
loved Aureola, her brave knight Sir St. George, his brother Le 
Roy, a faithful servant and I were together, in the wilderness this 
side of Gaza. We were all in flight from muderous Mohammedi- 
ans. That Christmas eve, under the stars with Christian rites I 



~46- 

'^Fcdded Aureola and Sir St. George. The day following our pur- 
surers attacked us. They were five to our one, but Sir St. George 
made a great defence and his bride in that was but little behind 
him. Rokhama, the Moslem leader, tried to drag Aureola away 
tut faithful Beatulus clung to him; although wounded again and 
again. As Aureola, having marked the Pasha for life with her 
rapier, escaped that btautulus fell to laughing. Laughed his 
soul into heaven. But Sir St. Geoige was wounded, bound and 
dragged away. As he vent he waved us to flight exclaiming, Save- 
my Aureola. Save my Aureola. Often even to this day that cry 
rings in my ears. After many tribulation we came to this place, 
but from that day five years ago until nowr none here could learn 
Sir Si. George's fate. Each Christmas anniversary hitherto has 
teen full of sad memories to some of us. Thank God it will not 
te so this year. Sir St. George has been heard from. He is- 
likely to be with us soon; may be ere to-morrow. That hope 
makes this day to New Eden joyful indeed. 

Aureola. {Passing, in abstraction). Oh yes thou wilt soon be 
liere, my knight. My heait sees thee coming. (Exit). 

Chaplain. Poor Aureola. She goeth about much of late like 
this, in seme kind of a trance. 

Edena. She is not like herself these days. She does not seem 
to know me when she passes. And I love her so much. ( Weeps), 
She goes daily to yonder little outlook-hill and sits in solitude 
gazing far off. Tht re over and over she repeats such words as 
she has just now. She cannot endure much longer the pain of 
her long wailing for the loved one who comes rot. 

Chaplain Fcken. Sublime constancy! Methinks in ages to 
come the sl( ry ol her devotion and how she has expended princely 
sums to send out searching expeditions, year after )ear, to every 
Icnown quarter of the earth, to find her spouse, will be sung by 
poets as having close parallel with that romance quest ol the 
Holy Grail. 

{A f.ight heron's call in the distance). 

Edena. Didst hear that. Chaplain? 

Chaplain. Yes. It is strange that the night heron should be 
calling and the sun not yet set. 

Edena, Thai is a signal to me from my father ! Some danger 
is nigh. I must go to him, to the little hill jorder. 

Chaplain. To thy father, [ ooberdab, the outlaw ? My child, 
he ytt associates with desperate men. It is at peril, thou dost go 
to him. 

Edena. He may be bad to all others but he is good to me. He 
would socner oie than call me in o danger. I c( nfide in thee, 
Chaplain. If I be missed pray make some excuse for me, but do 
BOt at this lime mention my going to meet my father. 

Chaplain Forin. God keep thee, my child. 



—47— 

(£xti Edena, enter Sir Henri). 

Sir Henri. Now why flits away our little Armenian sweet- 
singer ? 

Chaplain Foren. On mercy's missions, as usual. That 
girl is a wonder. She is the daughter of the outlaw, Doo- 
berdab; but he never was much of a father to her. Left mother- 
less when but a little child, she ft 11 into the care of those not a 
kin to her and had a sorry lot. One day she was abducted by 
villians who sought to sell her to the harem market. Our Aureola, 
then but recently here heard the child's cry, and rapier in hand 
rescued her. After that the girl was named Edena and became 
One of the New Eden wards. She and Aureola have came to love 
each other as dearest sisters. But hast thou heard further from 
Sir LeRoy, our young surgeon ? 

Sir Henri. Yes, he hath arrived and brings a staggering re- 
port. The Sultan Khatil, so long the friend of the New Edenites 
and the Hosepitaller Knights of Jerusalem, is dead. "Worse than 
that, a rexolution has broken out in Egypt. A so called Rokhama 
party is striving to take possession of the government. 

Chaplain Foren. But Sir St. George ? He came with his 
br( ther ? 

Sir Henri. Alas, no. The Sultan had helped to find him and 
was about to send him hither with an escori for protection, when 
death prevented his good intentions. Sir St. George has been 
seized by the revolutionists, whose watch cry is down with all 
Christians. Our commander, it is reported, has been sent a slave 
to a pirate galley. That means sure and swift death. Sir Le 
Roy, by mere accident, escaped from the Egyptian capitol just 
after his brother was taken by the rebels. 

Aureola. {Passing in abstraction). Yes, thou wilt come, my 
St. George. My heart says thou art coming, nearer and nearer, 
every hour. {Exit). 

Chaplain Foren. Now that is inspiration and I believe it. 
Oh tho e truly loving have mysterious ways of communicating, 
■which we can neither understand nor flout. But, Sir Henri, thy 
reports must not be given out at present. Many here were hop- 
ing that Sir St. George would appear at our coming Christmas 
Eve feast. Let the hope live and we will trust that it ripen full 
soon. That Rokhama was crushed in his first attempt at revolu- 
tion, pray God he may be in this his second attempt. Be pleased 
thou to go to speed those preparing for the feast and I will con- 
fer wiih rur young LeRoy whom I see coming this way, {Exit 
Sir Henri). 

(Sir Le Roy enters. Embraces Chaplain), 

Chaplin Foren. Sir Henri hath told me all the painful dis- 
appomtments thou hast met, my son, but we are very far from 
hopelessness as yet. 



-48- 

Sir Le Roy. Disappointments multiply with me. I have lost 
both a brother and a bride. Both were to greet me here the com- 
ing Christmas day. Now I shall have neither. Edena insists 
upon her resulve never to leave Aureola to wed any one unless 
that bereaved woman hath the care of her husband. I cannot stay 
here to meet the sad entreating eyes of Aureola, and the entreat- 
ing yet denying eyes of Edena. I shall depart at once in one 
more effort to bring my brother hither. But the revolution in 
Egypt seems certain to make the attempt a vain one. Oh, Chap- 
lain wilt thou not use thy good offices. Even thy authority, to 
have Edena wed me ere I go away again ? 

Chaplain Foren. Oh, I marry youngjters, but they must do 
their own courting. In truth most of them so prefer to do ? 

Sir Le Roy. Yet Edena should cleave to one alone, and not 
let any one come between us. 

Chaplain Foren. Ah, but the cleaving to one alone, leaving 
all others, begins after, not before wedlock. It is well not to 
draw the rein too tightly upon a sweetheart before the harness i s 
fully on, for the rein might break and the filly run away. And 
mark this, my son, one as trute to duty-friendship's claim as is 
thy Edena, is certain to be true to wifely claims as a wife. Such 
a one is worth waiting for a long time. One otherwise is not 
•worth waiting for any time. 

Sir Le Roy. I cannot argue with thee, father, but I entreat 
thee after I am gone, to say for me an adieu to Edena. I will 
depart for Egypt at once. 

Chaplain Foren. Oh, do not sd ! Stay at least until after 
the feast of this Christmas eve. There miy be some encouraging 
report of St. George's coming. Now what if a bride shouldst 
jump out of the Christmas tree's branches into thy arms ? 

Sir Le Roy. Thy words but tantalize. Thou are almost un- 
Icind, father. 

{^Edena enters. Stands at a distance^. 

Chaplain Foren. Oh no. I would not be so. But just now 
1 must go to the Baroness. Yonder is a New Eden maiden, with 
flowers, to sell likely. Keep her company for a time. And have 
no fear that I will tell thy Edena that thou art here with some 
other beauty than herself. I promise thee, that even though she 
asked me if such was the case, I would deny it. 

Sir Le Roy. Thou wouldst not prevaricate for any one good 
father. I know that. Yet I beg thee not to mention to Edena 
that I am going away. I cannot bear to meet her. Her stubborn 
denials of ray desires crush me. I must away without seeing her 
again. 

Chaplain Foren. But mark my words; do not go until after 
the feast of to-night. {^Exit) 

Edena. {Drawing near to SiR Le Roy) Wouldst thou buy 
some of my flowers, Knight ? 



—49— 

Sir Le Roy. {Turning about quickly) Ah.myEdena. {Embrace) 
"Now am I overjoyed. Oh beloved, let me run after our good - 
Chaplain to ask him — 

Edena. So ? To ask him to warn me not to meet in lonely 
places such as these, any handsome youth ? No, do not go after 
him. I like this, as it is. {Embrace) 

Sir Le Roy. Oh, not that would I ask him, but rather that 
he come this instant to command thee to hasten our long deferred 
wed — 

Edena. {Placing the kaud over the mouth of Sir Le RoY) 
Wait, just a time span. The length of my little hand. Let me 
teach thy lips a pretty thing to say. Now I will run away unless 
thou dost promise to say it. Nod thy head, if thy wilt. 

(Sir Le Roy nods) 

My father told me once upon a time, that this is the way they 
made Masons, who ever they may be, long ago in the days of a 
great king called Solomon, who lived some where in this country. 
Now ready ! Repeat what I say. About each true heart, three 
bands — Love of God, that is duty — love of friendship, that is 
beauty — Lover love, that is heaven. Oh thou are restless ! Be a 
good scholar, until thy lesson is learned. Now once more : 
Because each of these bands holds my Edena's heart. Oh do not 
try to hug me, yet. There, what a dunce ! Do not repeat that 
last sentence. Now ready: Because each of these bands holds 
my Edena's heart, she ever will be true to — me ! 

Sir Le Roy. Oh, Edena, my own, canst thou not understand 
that thy resolve as to our wedding makes an everlasting separation 
between us? My brother is lost to us, now, forever. The Rok- 
liama party hath sent him to the oar locks of a pirate galley. From 
such none escape, 

Edena. Beloved, hope. To-night I was abroad on the call of 
a night heron I heard some things I cannot tell thee now, but 
Rokhama may be near his doom. After to-night's feast I will 
tell thee more. Let us in to join thy companion knights who are 
gathering. Now look cheerful. And do not blush when meeting 
the company, as if we were ashamed of being lovers. {Exit, 
Embraces) 

(Shumentxj and Dcoberdab enter cautiously) 

Shumentu. We may wait safely here, for a time. The New 
Edenites are engaged in their Christmas feasting and will not 
come this way. Let them enjoy it. It will be their last, at New 
Eden. 

DooBERDAB. Methinks our Sheik was foolhardy to go spying 
in yonder. He seems to trust no ore, but himself, these days. 

Shumkntu. This the last desperate blow for all for which wc 
have many years plotted, and Rokhama is bent on knowing Just 
how to make our entrance a success. 



—50— 

DoOBERDAB. Methinlcs this present attempt at revolution will 
end like our first, five years ago, in failure. 

Shumentu. Believe it not. Reports from Egypt show that 
the revolution there is already under way. The death of Sultan 
Khatil hath opened the flood gates of discontent, long pent up. 
Multitudes there believe Rokhama to have been persecuted by our 
late monarch, because of our pasha's loyalty to the Moslem faith. 
The revolution proclaimed here now will have instant support 
from the thousands of pilgrims at this season on their way to 
Mohammed's shrine at Mecca. But see; some one approaches 
with haste and caution. Rokhama. 

Rokhama. {^Throwing off a pilgrim gard) Such trappings ill 
fit a soldier. I know all the defences, having had good opportu- 
nity to observe them during the three days I played sick pilgrim 
within. The thing most to be dreaded is their Madonna banner 
and that because so many of our followers are infected with the 
superstition that that banner hath power to blast any assailing 
those fighting under it, 

Shumentu. In the attack, my Mongolian slave who fears 
nought but the wish-bone of the Chinese chick shall be in the van 
and tear down that feared emblem, at the first onslaught. 

Rokhama. The plan of a genius, Shumentu. 

Shumentu. This to be the master stroke of thy insurrection, 
Rokhama. The Christians have announced a great coronation 
ceremony to take place here a few moons hence. The priests of 
her faith have predicted that at that coronation a great miracle 
from heaven surely will confirm Mary's title. There is a fever of 
expectancy on their side and a tremendous fearfulness on our side. 
Thy crushing New Eden, so preventing the coronation and prov- 
ing the woman of Bethlehem powerless to help her devotees, will 
givethee,greatPasha,glorious fame through all the Moslem world. 

Dooberdab, It may be an old wife's tale but there is a report 
that Sir St. George is expected to be with the Jerusalem Knights 
-soon. If by any chance the knights came to know of our raid 
and their old commander led to oppose us, we would be doomed. 

Rokhama. Sir St. George will not be here to confront us. My 
friends in Egypt have seized him. This time he will go to a 
pirate's oar locks. From such few escape and none contin- 
uing at the oars live long. The only thing I fear is that we may 
not find the secret hiding place or source of the treasure of Maim- 
onides now devoted by his daughter Aureola to New Eden. 

Shumentu. Allah provides again. One of the Jerusalem 
Knights spends his evenings in yonder with a pretty young Eden- 
itc. On entering threaten the maid with ravishment and her 
lover with fiery torture. Then they will serve thee as thou dost 
command, from confessing all they know to setting the place on 
fire. Oh, lovers are prime cowards when either of the mating pair 
is put in any peril. 



I 



—51— 

{DoOBERDAB menaces Shumentu from behind^ 

ROKHAMA. Thou devil's chaplain. Satan must miss thee itt 
thy absence here. 

DooBERDAB. Now pardon me, while I ask ye both a question 
which much concerns me ! What is to be done with the women 
in New Eden? 

Shumentu, Divided, of course, among the men who do our 
fighting. Our great Pasha will claim as his, most likely Aureola. 
He does not yet quite give up his ancient dream of a Golden 
Empire. 

RoKHAMA. Aureola marked me for her own the day after her 
wedding to Sir St. George. I would have her for a time if only 
to mock her in revenge tor this {points to scar on head) but more 
because I may get from the Christians a great ransom for her 
redemption. 

Shumentu. I shall choose a pretty little Armenian that is in 
there. 

{Menaced fro Jti behind by Dooberdab) 

DoOBERDAB. Great Pasha, in any desire however dastardly 
until now, I never counted any cost of serving thee. Listen. In 
yonder is my only earthly kin, a daughter. There she has the 
only home worthy the name that she ever knew. The little con- 
science I have, rebels at aiding in its destruction. I go to its 
assault, but only on thy giving oath to me that no harm shall come 
to my daugiiter from our side. 

Shumentu. A daughter in there ? How dreadful! It is well 
that we rescue her from danger of having her faith corrupted by 
the Christian heresies ! But cheer up, Dooberdad, if the maid is 
lost, thou canst easily buy in this country of cheap women another 
to take her place. Daughters are only an encumbrance any way — 
at least to such tramps as thou. Ha ha. 

Dooberdab. Thou beastly blot upon all who bear the title 
priesti Mark this. My daughter is the one now kno\yn as Edena, 
the Armenian. If any harm come to her from our side, I swear 
that instant to turn my sword to the defence of the Edenites, 
even though in so doing I need to rip out thy black heart. {Aside) 
Oh, my mother's mummy. My daughter. My daughter. 

Shumentu. And thou wouldst have us believe that pretty 
Edena couldst have such a ruffian sire as thou. Ha ha. Thou 
wouldst forestall my claiming her by pretense of fatherhood. 
Cunning Dooberdab. 

Dooberdab. {Pointing to his sword) This will defend my title I 

Shumentu. {To Rokhama) When the Moslam minarets an- 
nounce prayer time to-morrow evening, we strike New Eden. Its 
burning ruins will be the first beacon of thy long delayed Egyp- 
ian triumph, Rokhama. But this time thou art not to pass as a 
how before the throne, but to mount that throne a king indeed. 
Extun t,) 



Scene II. In New Eden Park near Gate. Knights about table 
feasting. New Edenite children and others singing near. 



Chaplain Foren. Knights Hospitallers, we are all here this 
right before Christmas by invitation of the vomen of New Eder.. 
At midnight we must be back to our garrison chapel to celebrate 
the Nativity Mass. Until then let meniment hold full sway. 

Knights. (/« concert) Viva the beautiful saints who feast us^ 
Fill the tow). Glad the soul. {Lavghtcr) 

Chaplain Foren. {Undrawing a Christmas tree on which the 
sign, "7<? the brave defenders oj New Eden.'" See this, {Points 
to tree) The women ol New Eden have given us a Christmas tree. 
Rejoice as a lad over his first razor ! We are to be boys again for 
to-night ! 

Knights. Angelica! Angelic ae ! Angelicis ! Angels! New 
Eden ! 

Father Foren. This is to be a night of surprises. Women 
of our far off hone knds send ye tokens of undying regard. I 
will present }ou an old time friend, just rttuined from Ergland^ 
He brings a camel-lead of gifts to prove we are not forgotten over 
the sea. Captio, once serving brother of the Knights. Stand up, 
Captio ! 

Knights. Hallelujah ! England ! England I France and 
England I Captio! Carp! Carp! 

Chaplain. At this feast we need a King of Disorder, accord- 
ing to custom. One to keep up the excitement and tell us our 
sir s of the year past. 

Knights. Captio! Captio! Captio! King of Disorder ! 

Sir Henri. The King should have a crown and sceptor. {One 
Knight thrusts a brtom in Captids hand another a hugh 
funnel on his head. Uprorious laughter.) 

Chaplain. Now let me introduce the one who shall act as 
representative of our hostesses the ladies of New Eden, Sir 
Knight Santa Claus. {Sir LeRoy disguished as Santa Clause 
enters. ) 

Kmghts. A-a-a-a ! See me, me, me, me, Old Kriss Kringlef 
{Laughter). 

Chaplain Foren. As our Knight Santa hards out the 
presents, I will name the one to whom each goes, {reads: '*A 
tunic lining for him whom it will fit.'" A roast kid. This must, 
be lor thee. {Hands to a very fat Knight. Laughter. Receivitig 
a sword from tree, reads :) " For the Chivalrous Knight." 

Captio. He did not come here, this evenirg ! Waagh ! 

Knights. A beauty. Give it to me. Me. Me. {Laughter.)- 

Capito. Only a crank or a coward would try to take from a 
icllow veteran the honor belonging to him. Waagh. 



—53— 

Chaplain. There is a sword for each upon the tree. 
Knichts. Bravo ! Beauties ! Viva ea Edenites ! 
Chaplain. This fine Madonna banner is presented to our 
garrison by Edena, the adopted sister of our loved Aureola. 

Sir Henri. Up with your tankards all. To Little Sunshine^ 
the Flower of Syria soon to be sister-in-law to all the knights, 
excepting the lucky one who is to wed her. 

Knights (Rising and pointing quizzically towards each other) 
Who? Who? Who? 

Captie. Ye dried up mummies, ye say who ? Waagh. 
Chaplain. Who could win Sunshine except our handsom. 
young saw bones, Sir LeRoy. 

Knights. Bones ! Bones ! Bones hath the beauty ! {Laugh- 
ier). 

Captio. By the crown I this night wear, I denounce ye all 
as pagans! All bowing the knee to yon mischief making god 
{Points to statue of Cupid) Now see the leer on the face of it 
{Approaching statue with uplifted fist.) Thou marlplot ! Thy 
mixing, mismatings and match-marrings kill more than all the wars 
and all the other distempers of this world full of fools. Waagh. 
Sir LeRoy. {In Santa disguise.) Now Knights this Carp 
must not mar that Cupid. I made it myself for Edena. 

Knights {Laughing. ) Oh, old Kriss in love ! No fool like 
an old fool ! 

Chaplain Foren. Captio must not touch to harm the image, 
but King Disorder does as he pleases to night. 

Captio {Toppling over image.) If the devil were dead he 
would not be missed, thou surviving. {Grinds fragments under 
his feet.) Now feel I better. 

Sir LeRoy {Throwing aside disguise.) Oh this is too much. 
It is shameful ! 

Knights. Hear ! Hear ! Hear ! Hear the Carp, King of 
Disorder! {Laughter.) 

Captio {Taking of his crown.) Yes it is well that ye hear 
the Carp. Veteran like, I boast at every chance of utterance. 
When we were all slung out of Gaza five years ago, I was lugged 
away a slave to Egypt. But I roundly cursed every cat and cow 
worshipper from Carmel to Cairo, I cursed by — 

Chaplain. Oh, Captio no samples on Christmas eve. 
Captio. A veterans feast, without the spice of swearing. 
Waagh ! 

Chaplain. Do it by pantomine. 

Knights. Bravo ! Carp the wordless poet. {Laughter.) 

Captio. Then these be my quotations, so to speak, of honest 

swearing. {Holds up hands and twirls two fingers upon each.) 

I so pleased the Sultan by my {fingers up) he promoted me, I 

think, to be Court fool. {Fingers up.) Wonder of wonder. 



—54— 

there I found the Lady D'Heartmyths in high fayor for having 
saved in some way the life of some princess belonging to those 
dried humans ! 

Kmghts. Halleluja ! Heroine ! Heroine ! Baroness ! 

Captio. Oh, I netded to jog your minds ye praying, royster- 
ing, fighting swashbucklers irom giving all your shouting to a 
sprig of a maid in forgetfulress of the founder of your garrison, 
Kow raise cheers, also for the one who hath given all the wealth 
of her Golden Empire to the needy of this lobster pot of a land 
where every one havirg any religion usually goes to fight it inta 
some other one. 

Kn'igths. Baroness! Aureola! Angels! Angels! 

Sir Hekri. Captio should hear the proclamation the Jeru- 
salem Knights are sending every where to call true believers to 
a grand Coronation of the Madonna next Easter day at this 
place (J^eaas) Here has been established by the Baroress De 
Heartmytbs a gioup of the most splendid charities the world has 
known. They are devoted to ministering to human need regard- 
less of race or creed. To their work the Jewess Aureola has 
consecrated all her afflunces in the rarre of the one human 
family of the one Divire Father. So interpreting the spirit of 
Mary of Bethlehem the Baioness and Aureola have done more to 
prepare the way lor the crowning of the Iviadonra as the tri- 
umphant Eve, to defending religion as the friend of man and to 
bringing in the Golden Age when all who worship God shall be 
AS brethern, than all the statemen or armies that have fought 
their battles in ages past in this Palestine. 

Aureola. {Entering in abstraction.) 

Captio. Silence, all. 

Chaplain Forbn. Poor Aureola! She is in one of her 
waking dreams. 

Aureola. {Gazing at each of the Knights in tu7n.) Not 
here? Oh, lut my heart saith thou art very very near St. George. 
I want thee to go with me to crown the Madonna. See, I have 
the flowers {Holds vp Jiouer crown.) We women give her all our 
crowns. {Exit). 

Chaplain Foren. She seemeth as one inspired ! 

{A woman's voice exclaiming^ without "St. George! Sir 
St. George is free ! He has escaped ! He is coming ! ") 

Sir LeRoy. Edena's voice I 

Edna {running in.) Sir St. George ! The good Knight ! He 
comes ! 

Sir Henri. What mad jest is this? 

Edena. Sir LePoy! Chaplain! It is true. (To Chaplain 
J^oren, in undertone.) The night heron. Thou knowst my 
mtsseigtr. Sir St. George escaped from the rebels. He is nigh, 
and likely to be at Jerusalem any hour. 



—55— 

Chaplain Foren, Knights all. Peace on earth and glory to 
God ! I will stake my honor upon the truth of the report. I 
have its seal of genuiness. {Exit.) 

Knights. Hallelujah ! Hero ! Hero ! High ! High ! St. 
George ! 

(Edena and Sir LeRoy movittg apart, in embrace.') 

Sir Henri . Where hath our Chaj: lain gone ? 

Caftio. Where? Where? Waagh ! Where should he go but 
to bring Aurecla and the Baroness to the gate of heaven with this 
great message. 

Sir Henki {Pointing to Sir LeRoy and Edena in embracers 
Those two gc t to their heaven gaie full soon. Ah, Captio, Cupid 
bioken or not, rules the world. Ha, ha ! 

Captio. Waagh ! 

{Bugles sound " To Mount.*') 

Sir Henri. Our signal to mount. Now away for Jerusalem, 
Perhaps our Commander, Sir St, George, will be there ere 
Christmas morning dawns. 

Knights {Going.) Hero! Hero! Sir St. George! Big 
Heart I Fighter ! Big Heait ! Fighter! Hero! Hero! {Exeunt.) 

Sir LeRoy. Oh, my Edena, I live once more, if this nights 
tidings prove to be true. 

Edena. Thou didst not think n^e bold in holding thee back, 
when thy companions vent LeRoy ? 

Sir LeRoy. See how the sun's last rays linger to kiss the 
flowers, again and again, good night. May I not emulate the 
sun's example. 

Edena. But at this hour on another evening thou didst say 
that light wss the moon's. He like an old watchman going about 
to warn maids to sleep and Knights to duty. But I must tell 
thee of grave matters. While viith my father, he told me that 
Rokhama with a dei-perate gang of pilgrims will attempt to raidk 
New Edena to-morrow nigl t. Thou will tell thy companions, so 
that we here be w ell guarded from any such attack ? 

Sir LeRoy. Rokhama? He nigh? By the eternal justice 
of an avenging God, if he shows himself in these parts, the 
Knights will send him to his doom swiftly. There will be a trap 
set lor him to-morn w night. No fear of that. 

Edena. And thcu wilt ccme hither early, to-morrow morning 
my LeRoy ? 

Sir LeRoy. Why, surely, Father Foren often said that 
•when Sir St. George returned he would remarry him to Aureola 
so that he ard his bride might celebrate their interupted honey- 
moon. I must see thee in the morning so as to arrange for a 
double wedding and a double honeymoon. 

Edena. Good night, my LeRoy. The old watchman warns 
to sleep and duty. 



-56- 

Sir LeRoy. It is to be a double wedding? 

Edena. Yes, beloved, pitient LeRoy. {Embrace. Exit, 
LeRoy). Poor, broken Love-god! {Gathering up Cupid's 
fragmtnts.) What a momlight for two. {Kisses the broken 
image.) To-morrow night under this Syrian moon four happy 
hearts will put together love's perfect image. {Kisses the image.) 
That and that, for the giver. Oh, but I wish it were the giver. 
His lips move, and he lias such a mustache ! {Exit). 



Scene III.— Act IV.— In the "Madonna House" of "New 
Eden." 

{New Edenites gathering in.) 

Edena {To Aureola.) Just before coming hither, I rode forth 
until I saw Sir LeRoy with a company of Knights, not far away. 
We shall be safe from any attack from the brigands to-night. 

Aureola. Yes. And surely my St. George will be on hand 
if needed. My heart saith so. 

Chaplain Foren {To Captio.) On Christmas night it is the 
custom here to present a kind of Passion Play arranged by our 
good mother, the Baroness. It is to bs grandly presented at the 
Great Coronation of the Madonna next Easter. 

Edena. Oar good mother, Lady Heartmyths, calls this " The 
Dawn of the Golden Age in Story and Song," but our Aureola 
calls it "The Crowing of Love!" Which think'st thou, father, 
is the better name ? 

Chaplain Foreh. It fits both titles so well, I cannot say 
which is the better. 

Baroness. As the scenes pass, Father Foren, our wards will 
sing the songs they so well know, and do thou be pleased to name 
the tableaux. 

{Tableau of Shepherd's and angels.) 
Chaplain Foren. Angels announce to Shepherd's of Bethlehem 
the coming of the King of Peace. 
Children {Singing.) 

To watching toiler angels bring. 

Peace on earth ; good will to men. 
They most needy hear them sing, 
Peace on earth ; good will to men. 
Chorus ^The age of gold, so will it come, 

With rights for all and wrongs for none, 
Peace, peace on earth ; good will to men. 

Oh, sing that song again, again, 
Yes sing the song the world around. 
In ev'ry clime where man is found. 
( Tableau. The Birth of Christ,) 



—57— 

Chaplain Foren. The Manger of Bethlehem. 
Children {singing.) 

The wisest men of all the earth adored the little baby, 
The meanest man of all the earth hated a littie baby, 
The greatest man of all the race was once a liitle baby, 
The greatest queen of all the earth, the mother with her baby. 
Chaplain Foren. Now come we to Christ and his mother at 
the wedding of Cana. 
Children. {Sing,) 

Solo. — "A story sweet and often told, 

Cho. — With clasp and kiss and ring of gold. 
Solo. — Two lovers wed to make a home, 

Cho. — The fairest scene beneath our dome. 
Solo — The King of Joys the feasters joins, 

Cho. — His mother brings the ruby wines. 
Solo. — O, who that sees such lovers true, 
Cho — But longs to be one of such two? 
Solo.—Ai Car a's feast then find this sign 
Cho. — In wedded love is heaven's wine." 
{Pictures ad. lib. of Mary and the Christ, prior to the crucifixion.) 
Chaplain Foren. Now follow we the Mother of our Lord 
along the via Dolorosa, or way of sorrow. {Crucifixion pictures.) 
Children, {Singing.) 

••Alone, in the night of gloom, now weeping, 

By the Cross of her dead son. 
The mother's heart the love watch keeping 
In hope of j' ys to come. 
Chorus — From lowly cot to highest throne, 

This grandest truth is sung and known,, 
That women loveth still the most 

When seems to man that all is lost. 
Yea, blest is he, what ere betide, 
"While women true is at his side.'^ 
{Classic Tableau op Mary's Coronation.^ 
Chaplain Foren. The Divine Son crowning His Mother, 
True love never dies in this world, or the next. 

Aureola. The triumph of love. The triumph of love \ (Exit.) 
Captio {To Chaplain). Aureola comes to herself again ! 
Sir LeRoy {Entering) Pardon, but attention all! A force 
of vile marauders move hither to raid this place. The Knights of 
Jerusalem hearing of the matter sent me and my companions to 
prevent the attack ; but we coming found that the number of the 
brigands is much larger than was expected. We deemed it best 
therefore to hurry here and defend this place until reinforcements 
could be secured from Jerusalem. We are at New Eden to serv© 
jou all. 

{Alarm among New Edenites.) 



-58- 

Captio. If I be given a mount, I volunteer to carry an alarm 
to the olher Jerusalem Knights to hurry them hither. 

Sir LeRoy. Most likely Edena will let thee take her swift 
dromedary. But if thou goest have a care, my good man, of any 
seeming pilgrims on thy way. As such the raiders are disguised. 
{Exit Captio. Enter Edena.) 

Edena. Baroness, that old man cannot get the full speed out 
of my dromedary ! I go. My father is among the brigands, and 
will answer with his life, if need be should I, in peril, give the 
night-heron's call — I will bring help ! {Exit.) 

Captio {Reentering.) Pushed around by a slip of a maid ! 
That girl, on her whtte dromedary, plunged mto the night like a 
white streak into a black hole. 

Sir LeRoy. Our Captain calls all who will, to join the skir- 
mish line without. 

Aureola {Reentering.) Sir LeRoy, this the trusty rapier I had 
at in Acre, and upon my wilderness wedding day. It is ready 
once more. 

Captio {To Chaplain Feren.) Ah, ha! Aureola is herself 
again. Oh I tell thee a good fight is many times a better cure 
than prayer, good Chaplain. Hah ! Waagh ! 

{Eyieunts Sir LeRoy and Knights.) 

Baroness. Aureola wouldst stand up here on this balcony to 
watch by our banner ? {Aureola ascends.) 

{Noises of conflict tvithout.) 

Aureola. In my heart I see Sir St. George coming nearer and 
nearer. 

( Wards of New Eden in Alarm.) 

Baroness. Go within and fear not, children. Our God will 
help and that right early. 

Edena {Reentering.) Oh, I could not get through the lines of 
the brigands. Baroness. ( Weeping.) 

Baroness. Dry thy tears, brave girl, and go within to console 
the children. 



(Raiders drive in LeRoy, Captio and others. LeRoy bound. 
"Mongolian covertly goes up balcony snatches "Madonna" 
banner and hurls it down. Aureola descends to recover it. 
Mongolian stands aloft shouting in extacy.) 



Sir LeRoy {Struggling to free himself^ Would to God our 
•emblem were set up again. 

Raider {Pointing to Sit LeRoy). Our Commander orders that 
this fellow be saved for torturing until he confess th e hiding place 
of the treasure. 



—59— 

(Aureola recovers banner. Fences back those trying to prevent 
lier ascending the balcony. Struggle with Mongolian on balcony.) 

Raiders. Ah, bah China, down with the devil sign ! 

Aureola {Culs down Mongolian,) So be it to any other of y© 
coming up hither ! 

{Sounds of bugles in the distance.) 

Baroness. I hear bugles ! God grant that the Jerusalem 
Knights now come to our help. 

RoKHAMA {running in.) Naught this night can help any here, 
against Rokhama, 

{SAumentu drags out Edena. She screaming^ 

Sir LeRoy. Edena ! Oh, Edena ! 

'ROYMKIA A. {To one of his comrades.) Are the bitumen torches 
ready for you weepers eyes ? {Fointing to Sir LeRoy.) Some one 
go up after the pretty bird on the perch {Points t* Aureola). She's 
the prize of the first one up. Down with her banner ! 

kuKEO'LA {To Baroness.) Rokhama thinks me Edena. This 
{pointing to her rapier) will tell him otherwise, if he comes up 
hither. 

( The hugles ! Louder /) 

Bugles ! Baroness, dosn't hear? Sir LeRoy, thou know'st that 
strain. It is the Charge of the Lion Heart ! Our St. George's 
favorite. The Knights of Jerusalem come. My Knight surely 
is with them. We are saved ! Saved ! 

(Aloises of conflict increase without.) 

Rokhama. Far off bugles are no present help against Rokhama 
this hour [addressing his men who falter on stairway.) Hell's 
simoons blast ye, ye cowards. Fear ye that witch with her 
painted rag? Where is Shumentu's Mongolian? Dead? Then 
I go up ! {To Sir LeRoy.) Where's the treasure of this place? 
They who baulk me now will soon taste my fiery tortures. 
Answer ye, here, ere I have counted ten ! {Goirtg up stairs 
^counting.) One, two, three, four, five — 

{Great clamor •without.) 

Aureola. {Embracing Baroness.) Oh, this suspense is 
awful. Mother D'Heartmyths, take this. {Places dagger on 
balcony rail.) For once thou mayst need such dreadful defence. 

Dooberdab. {Staggers, in pushing Edena before him.) I 
forewarned Shumentu that I would kill him, if he attempted harm 
to thee, my loved child, I kept my vow. Use this thou hence- 
forth. I shall never need it more. {Gives sword to Edena.) I 
am cut here. {Points to his heart.) Cling, Edena, to these here 
that have loved thee so well. 

ROKHA.MA. All furies haunt thee, Dooberdab, for faltering 
now. Out to the fighting line. Five minutes rnore^ and then 
we win our great prizes ! 



—6o— 

DooBERDAB. Five minutes more and then destruction. Thy 
men are in panic, before the Jerusalem Knights. (Embracing 
Edena.) My only beloved ! O, my mother's mummy, never 
redeemed ! {Falls dead), 

RoKHAMA. {Looking down.) Edena there? {To Aureola.) 
I should have known thee, peerless woman, by thy rapier. Oh, 
now one last appeal, Aureola. It was undying love for thee 
more than aught else which pushed me to this assault. Surrender 
now, and I swear that with my life I will protect thee forever. I 
only can save the now. {Moving upward. His way barred by 
Aureola's rapier.) Fight? By the Gods of the Lower Judgment 
do so, and I give thee to my wolves! {Disarms her. Attempts 
embrace. Aureola escapes. Catches up dagger. Holds it point- 
ing to her heart. 

Aureola. Stop where thou art, Rolchama. Death hath no 
terrors to me. Living or dead, I shall be forever and only the 
loyal wife of Sir St. George ! 

Sir St. George. {Running in.) Where is that Syrian devil, 
Rokhama ? 

Sir LeRoy. Sir St. George ! Sir St. George ! Up the stairs f 
Up to the balcony ! 

Aureola {embracing Baroness.) My lover ! My hushand ! 

Sir LeRoy {cut loose by Knights runs to Edena.) St. George 
is here ! {Bows with her hy her father's body.) 

Rokhama {runniftg down toward St. George.) Now for our 
last debate, thou curse of all my life. 

Sir St. George {engaging with Rokhama.) And for the first 
time upon equal footing, man to man ! ( Waving away Knights 
-who draw near as if to aid.) Leave me alone, to deal out God's 
retributions to this monster. 

( The duel.) 

Rokhama {Falling.) Lost ! Make thy finish, accursed Knight. 

Sir St. George {Dropping sword point.) My blade abhors 
such carrion. Away with the wretch to the kinsmen of Astarte. 
They are hunting for him not far away and will deal out to him 
Egyptian justice. 

Rokhama. Amid their fortures I will curse ye all, to the last. 

Sir St. George. Thy murdered Astarte waits for thee before 
the throne — of Judgment. {Rokhama dragged away.) 

Sir St. George {e??ibracing wife and mother.) For what ye 
twain have done, wife, mother, true men everywhere, will join to 
glorify the constancy of woman. 

Father Forbn {Pointing to banuer.) And to proclaim FOR 

EVER, THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD IS MARY. 

Chorus of New Edenites. "From lowly cot to highest 
throne." 

Grand Finale. 



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